In the event of a tie for president, who is responsible for choosing the winner?

In the event of a tie in the Electoral College when electing a president, the U.S. Constitution designates the House of Representatives as the body responsible for choosing the winner. This process is outlined in the 12th Amendment, which states that if no candidate receives a majority of the electoral votes, the election of the president falls to the House. Each state delegation in the House casts one vote to decide who becomes president, rather than individual representatives voting. This emphasizes the importance of the House in the electoral process and reflects the intention of the framers of the Constitution to ensure a collective decision from the legislative branch in such a critical situation.

The other options, such as the Senate, Supreme Court, or the electoral college itself, do not play a role in resolving a tie for the presidency. The Senate is involved only in the selection of the vice president if there’s a tie for that position, while the Supreme Court does not have authority in electoral disputes of this nature. The electoral college is responsible for casting the votes that can lead to a tie, but it does not decide the outcome in that event. Hence, the House of Representatives is the correct answer for determining the president in the case of a tie.