Hypothetical question

[Bob Juch]

What would happen if Obama or McCain were to die before the election? What is the procedure for choosing a replacement?

[earendel]

What would happen if Obama or McCain were to die before the election? What is the procedure for choosing a replacement?

I believe we discussed this last week. If the candidate dies before the election the party gets to pick the replacement. The procedure differs depending upon the party, IIRC - the Republicans' "central committee" gets to choose, but the Democrats would reconvene the delegates.

[slam]

What would happen if Obama or McCain were to die before the election? What is the procedure for choosing a replacement?

What are you planning?

[eyégor]

What would happen if Obama or McCain were to die before the election? What is the procedure for choosing a replacement?

Looking at the Carnahan/Wellstone Senate situations, my guess would be a combo of party rules & state laws.

Besides, we only vote for Electors anyway.

[andrewjackson]

We had a discussion about this recently.

If candidates die before the general election then the National Committees of each party nominate a new person to be put on the ballot or, in the case of the Republicans, can call a new convention. The Democratic Party may also have that rule but I don't find it.

Republican Party Rules
http://www.gop.com/About/Rules6-10.htm

RULE NO. 9
Filling Vacancies in Nominations

(a) The Republican National Committee is hereby authorized and empowered to fill any and all vacancies which may occur by reason of death, declination, or otherwise of the Republican candidate for President of the United States or the Republican candidate for Vice President of the United States, as nominated by the national convention, or the Republican National Committee may reconvene the national convention for the purpose of filling any such vacancies.

(b) In voting under this rule, the Republican National Committee members representing any state shall be entitled to cast the same number of votes as said state was entitled to cast at the national convention.

(c) In the event that the members of the Republican National Committee from any state shall not be in agreement in the casting of votes hereunder, the votes of such state shall be divided equally, including fractional votes among the members of the Republican National Committee present or voting by proxy.

(d) No candidate shall be chosen to fill any such vacancy except upon receiving a majority of the votes entitled to be cast in the election.

Democratic Party Rules
http://www.democrats.org/pdfs/charter.pdf

ARTICLE THREE
Democratic National Committee
Section 1. The Democratic National Committee shall have general responsibility for the affairs of the
Democratic Party between National Conventions, subject to the provisions of this Charter and to the
resolutions or other actions of the National Convention. This responsibility shall include:
(a) issuing the Call to the National Convention;
(b) conducting the Party's Presidential campaign;
(c) filling vacancies in the nominations for the office of President and Vice President;......

[nitrah55]

For a look at a related issue, read Jeff Greenfield's novel, "The People's Choice."

In this book, the President-elect dies before the Electoral College meets. The result is chaos, as each state has different rules for what happens in such an event. Some states require that electors vote for the winner in their state- yes, even if the winner happens to be dead.