Before the Twelfth Amendment, who typically became the vice president?

Before the Twelfth Amendment, who typically became the vice president?

• A. The running mate of the winning candidate
• B. The most votes for vice presidency
• C. The candidate with the most electoral votes
• D. The second-place finisher in the presidential election

Answer: (D)

The test is about how the vice presidency was determined under the old system. The electoral process awarded the presidency to the candidate with the most electoral votes and the vice presidency to the person who had the second-most electoral votes. There wasn’t a separate vote for vice president, so the runner-up in the electoral tally typically became vice president. This arrangement often meant the president and vice president were from different parties, which helped motivate the change that came with the Twelfth Amendment, requiring separate ballots for president and vice president.

The test is about how the vice presidency was determined under the old system. The electoral process awarded the presidency to the candidate with the most electoral votes and the vice presidency to the person who had the second-most electoral votes. There wasn’t a separate vote for vice president, so the runner-up in the electoral tally typically became vice president. This arrangement often meant the president and vice president were from different parties, which helped motivate the change that came with the Twelfth Amendment, requiring separate ballots for president and vice president.