Sure enough. I’d thought the EC got multiple passes before it falls to congress, but was wrong. Of course that’s all in theory as the EC has never failed to give a clear win.
That is wrong as well. In the election of 1800, the EC was deadlocked, and Thomas Jefferson was elected president by the House after 35 ballots. That was when the Constitution required that the person getting the majority of votes became president and the person coming in 2nd would be the VP. After that, they amended the Constitution to have the President and VP run as a ticket.