Senate Vote
Following each performance, our audience of Senators is asked to cast their
ballot. The ratio of Guilty votes to the Total Vote is computed to determine
the Senate Equivalent, which is the only number that would have mattered,
and this is posted by performance on our website.
Background.
When President Nixon announced his resignation on August 8, 1974, his approval rating was about 25% and impeachment by the House of Representatives was a certainty. The outlook in the Senate was equally bleak. Minority Leader Hugh Scott (R-PA) believed he had only 26 or 27 of the 34 Republican votes necessary to avoid Nixon being convicted and removed from office.
Our play asks the question, if all the evidence of wrongdoing by judges and prosecutors that Geoff Shepard has uncovered in the past decades was known at the time of a Senate trial, could Democrats have mustered the necessary 67 votes for conviction.
Senate Vote by Performance. 67 votes would have been necessary to remove Nixon from office.
August 4, Preview Night
54 Votes for Conviction
August 5, Press Night
50 Votes for Conviction
August 6, Opening Night
40 Votes for Conviction
August 7, Matinee
24 Votes for Conviction
August 7, Evening
13 Votes for Conviction
August 8, Matinee
23 Votes for Conviction
August 11, Early Evening
33 Votes for Conviction
August 12, Evening
35 Votes for Conviction
August 13, Evening
55 Votes for Conviction
August 14, Matinee
29 Votes for Conviction
August 14, Evening
58 Votes for Conviction
August 15, Matinee
73 Votes for Conviction*
August 18, Early Evening
41 Votes for Conviction
August 19, Evening
39 Votes for Conviction
August 20, Evening
50 Votes for Conviction
August 21, Matinee
50 Votes for Conviction
August 21, Evening
52 Votes for Conviction
August 22, Matinee
Cancelled due to Hurricane Henri
August 25, Matinee
42 Votes for Conviction
August 26, Evening
45 Votes for Conviction
August 27, Evening
30 Votes for Conviction
August 28, Matinee
54 Votes for Conviction
August 28, Evening
62 Votes for Conviction
August 29, Matinee
39 Votes for Conviction
September 1, Early Evening
42 Votes for Conviction
September 2, Evening
39 Votes for Conviction
September 3, Evening
26 Votes for Conviction
September 4, Matinee
33 Votes for Conviction
September 4, Evening
32 Votes for Conviction
Average of all 29 NYC performances
40 Votes for Conviction