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HJRES 137 101th Congress House Government Operations and Politics Constitutional amendments Presidential elections Vice Presidents

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution to provide for the direct popular election of the President and Vice President of the United States.

Introduced: February 9, 1989 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 101st Congress ended
It never became law before the 101st Congress (1989–1990) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 27, 1989
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic and Commercial Law.
Feb 9, 1989
Referred to the House Committee on Judiciary.
Feb 9, 1989
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Constitutional Amendment - Provides that the people of the several States and the District of Columbia shall elect the President and Vice President.

Requires the electors of President and Vice President in each State to have the qualifications requisite for congressional electors from that State, except that for electors of President and Vice President the legislature of any State may prescribe less restrictive residence qualifications and the Congress may establish uniform residence and age qualifications.

Provides that the persons having the greatest number of votes for President and Vice President shall be elected, if such number be at least 40 percent of the whole number of votes cast. Provides that if no person has such number, a runoff election shall be held in which the choice of President and Vice President shall be made from the persons who received the two highest number of votes.

Requires the days for such elections to be determined by the Congress. Requires the Congress to prescribe by law the time, place, and manner in which the results of such elections shall be ascertained and declared.

Requires each elector to cast a single vote jointly applicable to President and Vice President.

Allows the Congress to provide for the case of the death of any candidate for President or Vice President before the day on which the President-elect or Vice President-elect has been chosen, and for the case of a tie in any election.

What's happening now March 27, 1989

Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic and Commercial Law.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.J. Res. 137: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution to provide for the direct popular election of the President and Vice President of the United States.. 101st Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HJRES-137/
MLA
"H.J. Res. 137: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution to provide for the direct popular election of the President and Vice President of the United States.." 101st Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HJRES-137/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.J. Res. 137, 101st Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HJRES-137/.
Markdown link
[H.J. Res. 137: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution to provide for the direct popular election of the President and Vice President of the United States.](https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HJRES-137/)
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