Separate electoral ballots
Separates electoral votes for president and vice president and revises the backup selection process.
In Simple, Modern English
Electors vote separately for president and vice president; at least one of their two choices must not live in the elector's state. Certified results are opened in Congress and counted. A majority of appointed electors is needed for each office.
Without a presidential majority, the House chooses among the top three, with one vote per state and a majority of states required.
Without a vice-presidential majority, the Senate chooses between the top two, requiring a majority of all senators. A vice president must meet presidential eligibility requirements.
Important Clauses & Details
Separate choices
Electors designate which candidate they support for each office. The winner's runner-up no longer automatically becomes vice president.
Contingent elections
The House chooses a president by state delegation, with a quorum including members from two-thirds of states. The Senate chooses a vice president, with a quorum of two-thirds of all senators and a majority of the whole Senate needed to elect.
Eligibility and certification
A constitutionally ineligible presidential candidate is also ineligible for vice president. Electors certify separate lists for counting in the presence of both chambers.
Why It Was Added
The original system gave each elector two undifferentiated votes. Political parties produced awkward outcomes in 1796 and a Jefferson-Burr tie in 1800. Separate ballots made presidential tickets workable and reduced unintended ties.
The 20th superseded the March 4 provision for a House selection failure. The same-state condition concerns an elector's two votes, not a blanket ban on a same-state presidential ticket.
Plain-English study paraphrases summarize the text; they are not verbatim translations. Historical provisions and later changes are identified above. Sources: National Archives and Constitution Annotated.