The Electoral College

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Why was it established?

The Electoral College was established because they needed to find a way to appoint a President and Vice President that would settle everyone’s feather.

Originally, three different options were presented before they settled on an indirect popular vote:1. Have Congress vote,

2. Have State Legislature choose, and

3. Using a direct popular vote.

Electoral College Map

When was it established

The Electoral College was established in the year of 1787.

Quote

 "A small number of persons, selected by their fellow citizens from the general mass, will be most likely to possess the information and discernment requisite to such complicated investigations.“- Alexander Hamilton, the Federalist Papers.

How does the Electoral College work?A body of electors chosen by the voters in each state to

elect the President and vice President of the U.S.The number of electors is equal to the number of

members of congress each state has All electors pledged to the candidate who wins the most

votes in that state become electors for that state, except Nebraska and Maine in which they divide up votes by districts

There are no laws making the elector vote to honor their pledge but they almost always do

How to Win the Electoral Vote

The electoral college consists of 538 electors representing each states Congressional delegation.

A majority of 270 votes is required to win the presidency.

Your state’s entitled allotment of electors equals the number of members in its Congressional delegation: one for each member in the House of Representatives plus two for your Senators

Presidents who Have Won the Electoral College but Lost the Popular

Vote

George W. Bush

2000: George W. Bush lost the popular vote by 540,000 votes, but wont he electoral vote by 5 votes

Rutherford B. Hayes

1876: Rutherford B Hayes lost the popular vote by 250,000 votes and won the Electoral College by 1 vote.

Benjamin Harrison

1888: Benjamin Harrison lost the popular vote by 90,000, but won the electoral college 233 to 168

John Quincy Adams

1824:John Quincy Adams. Adams lost the popular vote by 38,000, both Cana dates lost the electoral vote, 99 to 84, neither reaching the 131 needed to win. The decision was decided by the house of Representatives.

Criticisms

Failure to reflect the national popular voteThe winner takes all approach does not

show each districts option Gives swing states to much power over

the election

Should we abolish the Electoral College?

This is a hard topic with valid arguments on both sides.Cons

Not truly a democracy because it is not always the same results as popular vote

Gives swing state too much powerDoes not properly represent the districts but instead

the state as a wholePros

Does not include outliers that could possible change the outcome of the election

Provides a competitive election

Questions1)What year was the Electoral College

established?a)1879b)1789c)1787d)1987

2)Why was the Electoral College created?a) To select Congress membersb) To select a method of appointing a President and Vice Presidentc) To select State Legislaturesd) To make it easier to make amendments

3) If neither candidate reaches the minimum number of electoral votes to win the election (270) who decides the presidencya) The people re-voteb) The senatec) The incumbent stays in officed) The house of Reps vote

4) The number of electoral votes is based on?

a) The populationb)The number of senatorsc) The number of senators plus the representatives from

the housed)The number of house representatives

5) Which of the following states do NOT use the winner takes all approach to electoral votes?a) Maineb) Ohioc) NewYork

6) Which type of states have more power with the electoral college type of vote?a) Swing Statesb)Non swing statesc) both have the same amount of power

Websites http://www.factcheck.org/2008/03/presidents-winning-without-popular-vote/ http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/about.html http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/special/president/electoral.college/mor

e.html http://uselectionatlas.org/INFORMATION/INFORMATION/electcollege_histo

ry.php http://www.oregonrepublicanparty.org/AllQuotes/ http://blogs.e-rockford.com/applesauce/2011/04/04/early-look-at-electoral-co

llege-in-2012-dems-232-votes-gop-191-tossups-115/ http://www.theprovocation.net/2011/10/suddenly-republicans-want-to-do-aw

ay.html http://www.nmpolitics.net/index/2011/03/time-for-a-review-of-the-electoral-co

llege/

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/electoral+college http://www.examiner.com/article/an-updated-look-at-the-2012-electoral-colle

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