What happens if??????????

[Jim N]

What happens if a candidate dies in the the next week prior to the election? Or in the time period between being elected and sworn in? I'm talking about either position president or vice president. Does that party get a specific amount of time to replace the candidate president or VP? Or if it is the presidential candidate does the VP candidate end up running for the top spot? If they are elected but not sworn in and the VP dies does that mean we don't have a VP until the next election? If it's the president elect prior to being sworn in that dies does the VP elect automatically step in or do we need another election?
I'm curious what the law is. Does anyone know?

[flatrat]

What happens if a candidate dies in the the next week prior to the election? Or in the time period between being elected and sworn in? I'm talking about either position president or vice president. Does that party get a specific amount of time to replace the candidate president or VP? Or if it is the presidential candidate does the VP candidate end up running for the top spot? If they are elected but not sworn in and the VP dies does that mean we don't have a VP until the next election? If it's the president elect prior to being sworn in that dies does the VP elect automatically step in or do we need another election?
I'm curious what the law is. Does anyone know?


Its a confusing topic with several possibilities...

Basically if its before the election, his party decides who will replace him.
If he dies after the election but before the electoral college, the college decides. This gets confusing as each state has different rules for their electors.

If he dies after the certification of the electoral college by the Senate, the 20th amendment kicks in and the VP is the successor.

I dont think additional time is given. Those decisions can be quickly made.

More detail in this article:
http://www.slate.com/id/2201173/

Lets hope McCain stays healthy, although today on Meet the Press he couldnt name the five Secretaries of State who he claimed support him.
I worry about him....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oWzaioeTT0

[alwaysright]

'Lets hope McCain stays healthy, although today on Meet the Press he couldnt name the five Secretaries of State who he claimed support him.'


he can stay healthy- but OUT of the white house- but his pallor is greyer by the day while I'm certainly not worried about him.... he looks like walking death