As the 2024 U.S. presidential election unfolds, the race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump could result in neither candidate reaching the 270 electoral votes needed to secure the presidency, although the likelihood of such an outcome is low.

If neither obtains the required majority, the decision-making process would be shaped by the 12th Amendment and various constitutional and procedural steps.

If the two candidates reach a total of 269 electoral votes, or if “faithless electors” deviate from their promised choices, Harris and Trump would remain below the threshold of 270. Such a situation could lead to conditional elections, during of which the House of Representatives would choose the president.

In this case, the House would meet on January 6, 2025 to count the electoral votes. If no candidate obtains a majority, each state’s parliamentary delegation receives one vote. A majority of 26 states is required to elect the president. Currently, Republicans hold the majority in 26 state delegations, Democrats in 22, two of which are evenly split, although this balance could change following recent elections.

The Senate, in a separate process, would vote to elect the vice president, requiring a simple majority. If no candidate wins the presidency before Inauguration Day, January 20, 2025, the vice president-elect chosen by the Senate will act as president until a decision is made. If neither the House nor the Senate completes this process in time, the Speaker of the House would temporarily serve as president, pursuant to the Presidential Succession Act of 1947.

Although this result is statistically rare, it is still possible. FiveThirtyEight’s projections recorded the “no winner” scenario in only three simulations out of 1,000. Historically, the House has chosen a president only twice, in 1800 and 1824, under similar contingent circumstances.