The U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on whether to reelect Mike Johnson as Speaker. The vote is of great significance as it not only sets the legislative agenda for the House but also determines who is third in line for the presidency. The House Speaker vote is typically held on the first day of the new Congress, which in this case, fell on Jan. 3.
The Speaker is elected by a majority vote of the members present and voting, with a quorum being a majority of the members sworn in on that day. If no candidate receives the majority of votes, the roll is called again and again until a Speaker is elected. The role of the Speaker has evolved over time, becoming more partisan with the Speaker playing a crucial role in shaping legislation and guiding it through the House.
As Speaker, Mike Johnson would be responsible for setting the legislative agenda, maintaining order during House debates, and often representing the House in negotiations with the Senate and the President. The role also carries significant symbolic weight, as the Speaker is the face of the House of Representatives both at home and abroad.
While the Speaker is elected by the whole House, the majority party typically has the advantage in choosing the Speaker because it has more votes to cast. However, the election is not always a certainty, as members of the majority party may choose to vote for someone else or abstain from voting, which could lead to multiple rounds of voting. All members of the House, regardless of party affiliation, are eligible to run for Speaker.
The vote is conducted by the Clerk of the House, and members are called alphabetically by state to cast their vote. Each member, when their name is called, stands and announces their vote. The Clerk then tallies the votes and announces the result. If a majority of members have voted for a particular candidate, that candidate is declared the Speaker. If no candidate receives a majority of votes, the process is repeated until a Speaker is elected.