Electoral Count Act

Electoral Count Act of 1887, Pub.L. 49–90, 24 Stat. 373, establishes the process in Congress by which the Electoral College votes are counted to elect a president every four years in the United States.

This law provides that when there are rival sets of electors appointed by a state, then a majority in either the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate may block the inclusion of those votes in the final tally, whenever there is an alternative, rival slate of electors (as there is in connection with the United States presidential election, 2020).

The incumbent Vice President presides over the Joint Sessions of Congress on one afternoon in the first week of January following the presidential election (e.g., January 6, 2021). While the Act states that he should cut off debate after two hours, in practice the presiding Chairman in parliamentary procedure could allow debate as long as he likes.