Article 2 , Section 1 (Original text):
The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows:
Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.
[The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by Ballot for two Persons, of whom one at least shall not be an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they shall make a List of all the Persons voted for, and of the Number of Votes for each; which List they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the Seat of the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the
Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the Presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the Certificates, and the Votes shall then be counted. The Person having the greatest Number of Votes shall be the President, if such Number be a Majority of the whole Number of Electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such Majority, and have an equal Number of Votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately chuse by Ballot one of them for President; and if no Person
have a Majority, then from the five highest on the List the said House shall in like Manner chuse the President. But in chusing the President, the Votes shall be taken by States, the Representation from each State having one Vote; A quorum for this Purpose shall consist of a Member or Members from two thirds of the States, and a Majority of all the States shall be necessary to a Choice. In every Case, after the Choice of the President, the Person having the greatest Number of Votes of the Electors shall be the Vice President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal Votes, the Senate shall chuse from them by Ballot the Vice President.]
The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.
No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States
In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Office, the Same shall devolve on the Vice President, and the Congress may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death, Resignation or Inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what Officer shall then act as President, and such Officer shall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.]*
The President shall, at stated Times, receive for his Services, a Compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the Period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive within that Period any other Emolument from the United States, or any of them. Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:- “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
The length of this section seems daunting? Start by reading the explanation first.
Explanation:
This section of the Constitution outlines the process of electing the President and Vice President, their eligibility requirements, succession procedures, compensation, and the oath of office.
Executive Power and Term of Office
- The executive power is vested in a President of the United States, who serves a term of four years.
- The President and Vice President are elected together.
Electoral Process
- Each state appoints a number of electors equal to its total number of Senators and Representatives in Congress.
- Electors cannot be Senators, Representatives, or persons holding an office of trust or profit under the United States.
Electoral College Procedure
- Electors meet in their respective states, vote by ballot for two persons, at least one of whom must not be an inhabitant of the same state.
- They make a list of all persons voted for, certify it, and transmit it sealed to the seat of the United States government, directed to the President of the Senate.
- The votes are counted in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives. The person with the majority of electoral votes becomes President.
- If no candidate receives a majority, the House of Representatives chooses the President from the top five candidates.
Eligibility Requirements
- The President must be a natural-born citizen, or a citizen at the time of the adoption of the Constitution.
- Additionally, they must be at least thirty-five years old and have been a resident of the United States for at least fourteen years.
Succession and Compensation
- In case of the President’s removal from office, death, resignation, or inability to discharge duties, the Vice President assumes the role.
- Congress can provide for cases of presidential and vice-presidential succession.
- The President receives compensation for their services, which cannot be increased or diminished during their elected term.
Oath of Office
- Before entering office, the President takes an oath to faithfully execute the duties of the office and to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.
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