§16 Same; seats for officers and Members of two Houses in joint session

Summary

At a joint meeting of both Houses, specific seats must be arranged. The President of the Senate uses the Speaker’s chair, the Speaker sits immediately to that person’s left, Senators sit on the presiding officer’s right, Representatives take the other seats in the hall, the tellers, Secretary of the Senate, and Clerk of the House sit at the Clerk’s desk, and the other officers sit in front of that desk and beside the Speaker’s platform. The joint session cannot end until all electoral votes are counted and the result is announced. No recess is allowed unless a question comes up about counting votes or related matters; then either House, acting alone, may order a recess but not past the next calendar day (Sunday excepted) and must resume at 10:00 in the morning. If the count and announcement are not finished by the fifth calendar day after the first meeting, no further recess may be taken.