Details on House leadership elections

The Associated Press

House Republicans convened Thursday to elect new leaders for filling upcoming vacancies resulting from House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s defeat in Virginia’s June 10 primary. Some details on the process:

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–The elections take place behind closed doors in the ornate House Ways and Means Committee meeting room in the Longworth House Office Building, across from the Capitol.

–Lawmakers vote by secret, paper ballot, and the ballots are tallied — three times — by other lawmakers selected because they don’t have particular allegiance in the race.

–A majority vote is required to win. If all Republicans are voting a majority is 117.

–If no one gets a majority the top two vote-getters immediately face off again on a second ballot.

–Although the declared candidates are known ahead of time, anyone can be nominated, and write-ins are allowed.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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