ELECTING A PRESIDENT OR HOW THE FOUNDING FATHERS TOOK A VERY
SIMPLE PROCESS AND MADE IT MORE COMPLICATED
Slide 2
2000 Presidential Election CANDIDATEPOPULAR VOTE 50,462,412
51,009,810 WHO WON?
Slide 3
2000 Presidential Election CANDIDATEPOPULAR VOTE 50,462,412
51,009,810 BUSH WON, OBVIOUSLY!
Slide 4
Popular Vote does not decide who wins the election.
Presidential Elections are decided by the ELECTORAL VOTE. WON
POPULAR VOTEWON ELECTORAL VOTE
Slide 5
The 2000 Presidential election was decided by the state of
Florida. FLORIDA POPULAR VOTE 2,912,790BUSH 2,912,253GORE 537 VOTE
DIFFERENCE
Slide 6
The Founding Fathers, James Madison in particular, felt the
average citizen was not intelligent enough to select a President.
Instead the Founders decided the voters will vote for ELECTORS, who
would then choose the President.
Slide 7
Election day is always held in November on the First Tuesday,
after the First Monday, in years divisible by four. Wait, what? Why
not make it just the First Tuesday? Complicated.
Slide 8
THIS IS HOW IT WORKS Every state is given electors equal to the
number of the members they have in Congress. In the Senate
representation is equal, each state having 2 SENATORS. In the
House, representation is based on population. The more people the
state has, the more representation they get.
Slide 9
In the 2000 Presidential election NJ had 15 members of Congress
and 15 Electoral Votes. In the 2012 Presidential election New
Jersey had 14 members of Congress and 14 Electoral Votes. Was NJ
cheated between 2000 and 2012? What happened in between 2000 &
2012?
Slide 10
In the year 2012, New Jersey had their 2 SENATORS and 12
REPRESENTATIVES in the House. Thats a total of 14 members in
CONGRESS. That also means New Jersey gets 14 ELECTORAL VOTES in the
Electoral College. ROMNEY OBAMA 2,126,610 1,478,749
Slide 11
California, the most populous state, has the most members of
Congress, 55 in 2012. With 55 members in Congress and 55 Electoral
Votes California wields a lot of power in the Electoral College.
ROMNEY OBAMA 7,854,285 4,839,958
Slide 12
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE The House of Representatives has 435
voting members. There are three non-voting members, for a total of
438. The Senate has 100 members. There are a total of 538 members
of Congress, which means there are 538 Electoral Votes.
Slide 13
Since there are 538 Electoral Votes and a candidate needs to
get a simple majority, how many votes must a candidate receive in
order to become President? What is the MAGIC NUMBER???
Slide 14
Since there are 538 Electoral Votes and a candidate needs to
get a simple majority, how many votes must a candidate receive in
order to become President? In order to be elected President of the
United States, a candidate must receive a minimum of 270 electoral
Votes.
Slide 15
Since there are 538 Electoral Votes and a candidate needs to
get a simple majority, how many votes must a candidate receive in
order to become President? In order to be elected President of the
United States, a candidate must receive a minimum of 270 electoral
Votes. 2000 Electoral Vote Count: Bush = 271Gore=266
CAN THERE BE A TIE? 538 Electoral Votes available. 2 Candidates
running and trying to get them. Can they tie?Have any tied? Who
becomes President? Vice President? Who decides? Who cares? I
DO.
Slide 18
THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED
Slide 19
The US CONSTITUTION states that should there be a tie in the
Electoral College the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES will decide the
PRESIDENT and the SENATE will decide the VICE PRESIDENT. Each state
gets 1 Vote.
Slide 20
ELECTION OF 1800 Presidency decided in the House of Reps.
Jefferson received 10 votes. Aaron Burr received 4 votes. Jefferson
is President, Burr is Vice President.