Good Day World!
In case you haven't noticed, we don't exactly have a couple of spring chickens running for president this election cycle.
Donald Trump just turned 70, and Hillary Clinton is 68-years old.
That makes them both eligible for retirement. Instead they've both elected to go for a new career...as commander-in-chief of the United States of America.
Kinda gives you pause doesn't it?
What would happen of one of them dropped dead before anyone even got to cast a ballot one way or the other? I'm glad you asked.
For starters, there's nothing in our consititution that says what to do in the case of a party nominee dying before the elections take place.
There's something you should know before I go any further:
"No presidential candidate of a major party has ever died or withdrawn before a presidential election and no president-elect has ever died or withdrawn after winning the general election, but before taking office." Source Teaching History
That said, it doesn't mean it couldn't happen.
Some quick history:
Since the time of Andrew Jackson's run for the presidency in 1828, individual political parties have had the job of filling any vacancy on their national ticket, either that of their presidential or vice-presidential candidate.
If one of the candidates vacates the ticket after they are nominated, either because of death or withdrawal, the party selects a replacement.
So the answer is straight forward - the party decides.
This is where I think it gets interesting. For example, if Trump suffered a heart attack and died would the GOP go with the candidate that was closest in delegates to Trump? In other words, Ted Cruz?
In Hillary's case, would the Democratic Party ask Bernie Sanders to step in and become the standard bearer if she suddenly died?
Remember, nothing is for sure in politics. Especially this year.
Time for me to walk on down the road...
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