GaryDog
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- Feb 10, 2016
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- #21
I am not sure who wrote this piece, but the three-fifths clause is in Article I, Section 2, Clause 3. The presidential election and electoral votes are in Article II.
Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.
There may be a roundabout way to attribute electoral votes by the number of districts, but that was too far in the distance and implausible.
Electoral votes are determined by each state's total number of Senators and Representatives in Congress. Counting slaves (even as 3/5ths) affects that number, which in turn affects the electoral votes for president. Thought this was pretty clear.
What was pretty clear? Do you think the Southern states had an advantage because of the 3/5s clause regarding electoral votes?
Of course they did. They had black slaves (property) that could count as points for representation in Congress. Meanwhile, that property cannot vote, and is subject to the whims of the owners.