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SALT LAKE CITY — News specialists are giving another prediction to the election outcome if all of the votes are counted on election day.
In order to get elected President of the United States, a candidate needs 270 electoral votes. But this year, the race is very tight. There are eight states that are currently "toss-ups," and they will play a huge role in the outcome.
Depending on how the electoral votes go in those states, there's a possibility that there will be a tie - with Barack Obama and Mitt Romney each having 269 votes.
"Well, that's where the 12th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution kicks in," said Tim Chambless, a professor at Hinckley Institute of Politics. "Then, the new congress, let me stress, the new house of representatives and the new senate meeting in January of 2013 would meet to choose the new president and new vice president."
Depending on which party controls the House of Representatives and which controls the senate, there is a possibility in this "break-the-tie" scenario, that Mitt Romney could become the president, and his vice president would be Joe Biden.
When house members choose the new president, they don't all vote. Each state only receives one vote in this scenario. Representatives in each of the states would decide among themselves who their choice will be.
For example, Utah's delegation would obviously agree to vote for Romney. Other states would do the same; but in some cases there could be some haggling that would last a while.
"Have we been in this position before?" Chambless said. "Only one time, almost 200 years ago, after the election in 1824."
Carrying a pocket-sized edition of the U.S. Constitution with him often, Chambliss says nothing would surprise him this election year. If, and it's a BIG "if", the states can't reach a majority decision for President by March, then the Vice-Presidential candidate with the highest number of votes by members of the Senate would then become the President.
Depending on which party controls the House of Representatives and which controls the senate, there is a possibility in this "break-the-tie" scenario, that Mitt Romney could become the president, and his vice president would be Joe Biden.
