What happens if there’s a tie in a state in a Presidential election?

[darklordoftech]

For example, what if Bush and Gore each got the exact same number of votes in Florida in 2000?

[OSR stands with Israel]

Probably the state legislature would have to go directly appoint the electoral votes of that state which most likely would be objected to by the opposing party on January 6th (if it was the deciding state ). Then effectively you would have congress decide who becomes president as if they choose to throw those electoral votes out then the opposing party candidate would almost certainly win and if they don’t well then the orginal  candidate wins .

[brucejoel99]

It would vary in each state & D.C., but I'd presume that at least some of them already have explicit contingency plans (e.g., drawing of lots or a similar random method like flipping a coin, direct appointment of electors by the state legislature, etc.) for such an occurrence; to find them out, one would need to go look through each state's & D.C.'s election laws. Of course, these would only come into play after the inevitable mountain of lawsuits & mandated recounts that exclude any & all ballots that are eligible to be disqualified have concluded that the final, certified results were indeed a tie.

[Tintrlvr]

Probably depends on state law. Virginia decides tied elections by a coin toss; we saw that happen in a Virginia State Senate (I think) election a few years ago. But some other states require a re-run of the election.

[SteveRogers]

Also, y'all can make this thread a thousand times, and I'll keep making the same dumb, increasingly out-of-date reference:

Also, my understanding of the law in New Mexico is that in the event of a tie the state's electoral votes are determined by Kevin Costner, and hilarious hijinks ensue as both Presidential candidates attempt to personally woo him for his vote. 

[Hammy]

It would lead to a recount, and there's an almost nonexistent chance the total would end up exactly the same, as there seem to be otherwise statistically insignificant vote shifts with each one.

[Big Abraham]

In Waynestown, Indiana in 1891 the two candidates for town treasurer each received 339 votes and had to settle the tie by a foot-race.

[Leroy McPherson fan]

State law decides

[Meclazine for Israel]

In Waynestown, Indiana in 1891 the two candidates for town treasurer each received 339 votes and had to settle the tie by a foot-race.

Imagine Trump leggin' it next to Biden over 100 yards.

[Senator-elect Spark]

State law decides

Doomsday happens.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

There was actually a movie about this a couple years ago that I never saw but got talked about here. Basically zkevin Costner played some alcoholic unemployed divorced father in a small town in New Mexico near the Texas border (back when New Mexico was considered more of a swing state, you can tell they actually wanted more of a rural Texas setting but needed a swing state so went with that as the closest possible thing) whose daughter registered him to vote even though he didn't want to, and showed up right before polls closed only to have the ballot machine malfunction and was offered the opportunity to later recast his ballot. And then the votes came in with every state except New Mexico being called with New Mexico being a tie and the deciding electoral state...meaning his vote alone would decide the next President.

Of course it could never happen and ignores a tons of other factors like that his vote would definitely not be the only one in limbo or disputed vote in New Mexico and a ton of other legal issues and challenges but it is kind of a cute idea for a movie...reviews indicated it wasn't that good though. Funny thing today is that Texas is actually closer to a swing state than New Mexico (it'd probably be set in Georgia if made today if seeking a rural redneckish setting.)

[LtNOWIS]

Probably depends on state law. Virginia decides tied elections by a coin toss; we saw that happen in a Virginia State Senate (I think) election a few years ago. But some other states require a re-run of the election.

House of Delegates, and they drew names from a fancy bowl. The names were in film canisters.

[Continential]

State law decides

Doomsday happens.

I doubt it would be that bad unless the state could decide an important election.