What happens if no candidate receives a majority of electoral votes in a presidential election?

When no candidate receives a majority of electoral votes in a presidential election, the decision falls to the House of Representatives. This process is outlined in the 12th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The role of the House is to select the President from the top three candidates who received the most electoral votes.

Each state delegation in the House casts one vote for one of the candidates, and a majority of the state delegations is required to win. This mechanism ensures that if the electoral system does not produce a clear winner, the elected representatives of the people in the House are granted the responsibility of determining who will assume the presidency.

This process emphasizes the democratic principle that elected officials, rather than the general populace directly, make critical decisions regarding leadership when the electoral process yields no majority. The involvement of the House of Representatives also highlights the checks and balances within the government structure to prevent any single entity from gaining too much power in determining the outcome of an election.