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The major function of the Joint Session of Congress and Contingent Election is to elect the US President and US Vice-President. According to the Federal Law, the joint session of Congress assembles on 6th January to calculate the number of electoral votes. It bears the responsibility of declaring the victorious candidates in the US Presidential Election. This assembling takes place in the US House of Representatives hall. The incumbent Vice-President acts as the president of the meeting session. But in certain cases, the responsibility of presiding over the meeting may fall on the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
The counting of votes for each state starts on scheduled time. The states of which the votes are to be counted are not selected randomly, but in alphabetical order. Whichever candidate secures a total electoral majority i.e. minimum of 270 votes out of 538, he/she is declared the US President.
But if neither of the candidates wins the majority, the contingent election takes place. In this system, the new House of Representatives takes the responsibility to elect the President from the three candidates, who have won the most electoral votes. Every state delegate is entitled to cast a single vote. At present, the votes of all states count to 26. The candidate to win the maximum of these votes is declared the winner. The same process is applicable in the election of Vice-President.
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