First Tuesday

Pandemonium surrounds the fate of the U.S. presidency after the president-elect is assassinated

When president-elect Arthur Davis is assassinated shortly after Election Day, the first Tuesday in November, the nation faces grave uncertainty about who is to become president in this unprecedented situation. According to the 20th Amendment of the Constitution the vice president-elect is to become the president, but the 12th Amendment says no one can be declared president until the Electoral College officially casts its votes, which occurs in December after the election. Since Electors have the constitutional right to vote for whomever they choose, the death of the president-elect propels power hungry groups and individuals to seek ways to manipulate the Electors towards their own ends—including a cabal of super-rich, ultra-patriotic Americans and even the sitting president, Peter Hampton, who wants to retain power although he lost the election.