Presidential Elections and the Electoral College · The electoral college was a compromise...

PresidentialElectionsandtheElectoralCollege

TrueorFalse?

Thecandidatewiththemostvotesiselectedpresident.

TrueorFalse?

Thecandidatewiththemostvotesiselectedpresident.

Answer:NotNecessarily—AskHillaryClinton

TotalPopularVotein2016Election:

Trump 62,979,636totalvotes(46.1%)

306ElectoralVotes

Clinton 65,844,610totalvotes(48.2%)

232ElectoralVotes

HistoricalBackground

TheframersoftheConstitutiondisagreedonhowtoelect presidentMajorConcerns:

*GeneralPublicuneducatedandUninformed*IntensecandidatepopularityinONEareacouldswayelection

OPTIONS:CongressionalselectionORDirectpopularelectionTheelectoralcollegewasacompromisecombiningfeaturesofbothapproaches.

Thereareatotalof538electoralvotes

Inorderforacandidatetowinalltheelectoralvotesofastate,acandidatemustwinamajorityofthepopularvote!

270ElectoralVotesareneededtowinthePresidency

ByTheNumbers:

RedStatesandBlueStates48 outofthe50 stateshavea“winnertakesall”method

Candidatesmaywinstatesbylopsidedornarrowmargins.

NebraskaandMainedivideuptheirvotesbasedonhowspecificcongressionaldistrictsvoted

Whatifnoonereceivesamajority?Ifnocandidatehasamajority:� theHouseofRepsselectsthepresidentfromamongthecandidateswiththemostelectoralvotes.

� Ifthishappens,eachstatehasonevote.�Happenedonlyonce!�1824

� TheSenateselectsthevicepresidentfromthetoptwovice-presidentialcandidates.

PopularVotev.theElectoralVote• Inacloserace,thepopular

votewinnermaynotwintheelectoralcollege.

• Electoralvotewinnerswholostthepopularvote:

– TrumpoverClinton2016

– BushoverGorein2000

– BenjaminHarrisonoverGroverClevelandin1888

– RutherfordB.HayesoverSamuelTildenin1876

BattlegroundorSwingStates

StatesbyPerCapitaElectoralCollegeVotes

ELECTORALCOLLEGE

PROSCONS• Resultsmorecertainwith

ElectoralCollege• Nosingleregiondominates

withElectoralCollege• Facilitatestwo-partysystem

stability• Directsmorepowerto

statesasvitalpartofsystem• Greaterinfluencetorural

areas,interestgroups,andminorities

• Undemocratic—majorityofUSmaynotfavorwinner

• Outdated—basedonelitistpoliticalconsiderations

• Swing/BattlegroundStatesgetalltheattention

• Maydiscouragevoting• Hinderschancesof3rd party

candidates• Smallstatesgetmorepower

percapita

In1992,RossPerotwonalmost19percentofthepopularvotebutnotonevoteintheElectoralCollege.

ProposalsforReform

• Eliminateelectorsbutstillcountelectoralvotes.• SplitElectoralVotesviacongressionaldistrictsasMaine

andNebraskado• Choosethepresidentbydirectpopularelection.

ShouldtheElectoralCollegebeAbolished?

Presidential Elections and the Electoral College · The electoral college was a compromise...

Documents

Electoral College Lesson

Article II - Weeblykhsusgovt.weebly.com/uploads/.../9/...ppt_-_kosier.pdf2. Election: Electoral College Established – 435 + 100 + 3* = 538 Magical Number is 270 – No Winner? U.S

Electoral College Outcomes

Electoral College Consequences

DEBATING THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE...these 538 electors make up the Electoral College, which has one purpose: to choose the president every four years. Electors generally are chosen by

The Electoral College

The Electoral College. 538 How many electoral votes must a candidate get to become president (the “magic number”)? 270 ( 1 more than half the total… 538/2

The Federal Register and the Electoral College · Electoral College. The number of electoral votes is set at 538, based on 435 members of the House of Representatives and 100 members

Updated Electoral College

The Electoral College The Electoral College and Federalism The electoral college reflects the federal nature of the Constitution

Electoral College Electoral College 100 400 300 200 500 More Electoral College More Electoral College 100 400 300 200 500 100 400 300 200 500 Amendments

Electoral College Reform: Contemporary Issues for …Electoral College Reform: Contemporary Issues for Congress Congressional Research Service Summary The electoral college method

Electoral College Power point The Electoral College

HOW TO BECOME PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED … · A caucus is a substitute for a primary election. Delegate: ... STEP 3 GENERAL ELECTION STEP 4 ELECTORAL COLLEGE 538 ELECTORAL VOTES...AND

Electoral College

U.S. Elections Electoral College - USEmbassy.gov · The Electoral College now comprises 538 electors, one for each of the 435 members of the House of Representatives and the 100 senators

The electoral college

Electoral college 2014

06 - Electoral College

THE PRESIDENCY. Popular vote: each state Electoral vote: each state 538 electoral votes 535+3 270 are needed for the Presidency Electoral college: