<P> The emergence of political parties and nationally coordinated election campaigns during the 1790s (which the Constitution's framers had not contemplated) soon frustrated this original plan . In the election of 1796, Federalist John Adams came in first, but because the Federalist electors had divided their second vote amongst several vice presidential candidates, Democratic - Republican Thomas Jefferson came second . Thus, the president and vice president were from opposing parties . Conflict between the two arose early on over the increasingly turbulent relations between the U.S. France . Ultimately, Jefferson became more an "opposition leader", and actively sought to frustrate the president's policies . Then, in the election of 1800, Democratic - Republican electors (for reasons that are disputed), though clearly preferring Jefferson over Aaron Burr, the party's secondary candidate, sought to guarantee that their party won both offices, and cast 37 electoral votes for both Jefferson and Burr . In the contingent election that followed, Jefferson finally won on the 36th ballot, and Burr became vice president . </P> <P> This hardening of party lines and resultant straight - ticket voting practices led to the adoption of the Twelfth Amendment in 1804, which directs electors to use separate ballots to vote for the president and vice president . While this solved the problems that had arisen under the previous system, it ultimately had the effect of lowering the prestige of the vice presidency, as the office was no longer for the leading challenger for the presidency . The amendment also prescribes that, if no vice presidential candidate receives an Electoral College majority, then the Senate selects the vice president, with a majority vote of the entire membership (currently 51 of 100 senators, assuming there are no vacancies) being necessary for election . There has been only one such contingent election since the 12th Amendment was ratified . It occurred on February 8, 1837, when no candidate for the vice presidency received a majority of electoral votes in the 1836 election . By a 33 - 17 vote, Richard Mentor Johnson (Martin Van Buren's running mate) was elected the nation's ninth vice president . </P> <P> The vice president's salary is $230,700 . The salary was set by the 1989 Government Salary Reform Act, which also provides an automatic cost of living adjustment for federal employees . The vice president does not automatically receive a pension based on that office, but instead receives the same pension as other members of Congress based on his position as President of the Senate . The vice president must serve a minimum of two years to qualify for a pension . </P> <P> Since 1974, the official residence of the vice president and their family has been Number One Observatory Circle, on the grounds of the United States Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. </P>

The vice president of the united states is the president of the u.s. senate