Updated Electoral College

8/8/2019 Updated Electoral College

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Electing the President of the

United States

The Electoral College


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Understanding the Electoral College

When you cast your vote forPresident on November 4,2008 You are not voting for

McCain or Obama

Instead, you are voting for 6Electors.

2004 Electors

Ruth Garvey Fink (Topeka)Bernard "Bud" Hentzen (Wichita)

Dennis Jones (Lakin)Wanda Konold (Pratt)Jack Ranson (Wichita)Patricia Pitney Smith (OverlandPark)


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The Constitution Article II

Section 1:

The executive Power shall be vested ina President of the United States ofAmerica. He shall hold his Officeduring the Term of four Years, and,together with the Vice President,

chosen for the same Term, beelected, as follows

Each State shall appoint, in suchManner as the Legislature thereofmay direct, a Number of Electors,equal to the whole Number of

Senators and Representatives towhich the State may be entitled inthe Congress: but no Senator orRepresentative, or Person holdingan Office of Trust or Profit underthe United States, shall beappointed an Elector.


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Why the Electoral College?

3 Reasons1. The framers of the Constitution feared direct

democracy. Hamilton and others did not trust thepopulation to make the right choice.

election shouldbe made by men most capable ofanalyzing the qualities adaptedto the station

James Madison

Stupidis as Stupiddoes.

Forrest Gump


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The Original Electoral College

each of the states would have as many Electors

as senators and representatives in Congress,

chosen in each state electors would cast two votes for President

the person with the most electoral votes would

be President (if the votes were a majority)

the person with second highest amount of

votes would be Vice President


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Problem Looming

By 1796 political parties where developed

AdamsFederalist Party

JeffersonDemocratic Republican

Two political parties had developed, and a member of

one party became President while a member of

another party became Vice President


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Nominating Electors

Some states nominate their Electors during primaries

Others, hold their election of Electors at state

conventions.

Elected officials at the federal level are not eligible to

be Electors (people who vote in the Electoral

College.)

In Kansas, Electors are chosen by the party membersas a reward for service and loyalty to the party.


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Electors

Number of members in

the House of

Representatives + the

number of Senatemembers = Electors per

state

In 1961 the 23rd

Amendment gave 3

electoral votes to

Washington D.C.


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Electors

435 members of the

house + 100 members in

the Senate + 3 D.C.

Electors = 538 totalElectoral Votes

270 needed to win

What if no one gets the270 needed...?

6


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In this case, the

House of

Representativeswould decide on

the president, with

each state gettingone vote!

What about

Kansas 4members (2

Republicans and 2

Democrats)?


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The Senate

would determine

the Vice

President,deciding from

the top two

names and witheach state

getting one vote


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The Electoral College is a good system

because

It requires a distribution of popular

support, making the nation unified

It enhances the status of minority

groups

Contributes topolitical stabilitybysupporting the two party system

Maintains federalism


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The Electoral College is a bad system

because

Its possible to elect a President

without a majority of the popular vote

faithless Electors could vote for

anyone

It could depress voter turnout It fails to accurately reflect the popular

will of the nation


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How many do you need to win?

Lets look at what might happen this year


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55


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89


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120


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168


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189


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209


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226


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241


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256


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271


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Only 11

States to

win!


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Extreme Example

The winner of the 11 states could receive50.1% of the votes in those 11 states totally23,718,786 votes

The losing candidate could win 49.9% of thevotes in those 11 original states plus 100% ofthe votes from the remaining 39 states andD.C. totally 97,761,233 votes.

Thats 23 million for and 97 million againstand still win!


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Electoral College Beer Pong

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BY YOUR APOL

TEACHER

Documents

Updated Electoral College