History of the electoral college

Washington - none

Adams (1796) - Federalist

Jefferson – Dem-Republicans

Madison – Dem-Republicans

Monroe – Dem-Republican

No alliances

Jay’s Treaty

Pinkney’s Treaty

Whiskey Rebellion

No political parties

2 term limit

Marines and Navy founded

XYZ affairs

Alien and Sedition Acts

Embargo Act

Non-Intercourse Acts

Louisiana Purchase/Lewis and Clark

Midnight Judges

Marbury vs. Madison

Macon’s Bill #2

Protectionist Tariff

1st bank charter expires

War of 1812

Battle of Tippecanoe

Battle of New Orleans

Treaty of Ghent

2nd Bank of US

Panic of 1819

Monroe Doctrine

Russo-American treaty

Treaty of 1818

Missouri Compromise

Too reckless

Too much power to large states

Article II, Section 1

Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the

Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of

Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators

and Representatives to which the State may be

entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or

Representative, or Person holding an Office of

Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be

appointed an Elector.

After problems with election of 1800

Different votes for President and Vice

President

House of Rep to decide when tied

Electors = # of senators & # of

representatives

538 total

3 for DC

CA with most: 55

MT with least: 3

Vote first Monday after second Wednesday in

December

Read before Senate on January 6th

Winner sworn in January 20th

Nominated by state party committee

Campaigns for spot chosen at convention

Electors cannot be:

A member of Congress

A high ranking U.S. official

Someone who has engaged in “insurrection or

rebellion”

Winner take all in 48 states regardless of

popular vote

Maine & Nebraska: Congressional District

Method

Faithless electors

When electors vote against popular vote

158 over history

Corrupt Bargain

Quincy Adams received 38,000 less votes

than Jackson

One vote margin in Electoral College

Lost popular vote by 264,000 votes

Colorado: 3 electors; 0 popular votes

Won electoral by 65

Lost popular by 95,713

Manual recount because of “hanging chads”

Bush awarded Florida by Supreme Court