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THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE

THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE. Course Requirements | Smith's Home Page  | Syllabus | Assignments | Extra Credit | Lectures | Review Sheets Course Grade Scale | Examinations | Contact | Calendar About Prof | SLAC Lab | PALS. Introduction:. The Electoral College elects the US President.

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THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE

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  1. THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE Course Requirements|Smith's Home Page  | Syllabus |Assignments| Extra Credit | Lectures |Review Sheets Course Grade Scale |Examinations | Contact | CalendarAbout Prof | SLAC Lab| PALS

  2. Introduction: • The Electoral College elects the US President. • How? • A system that relies on state discretion and implementation, a "mirror" Congress, and citizens, to the extent states chose to involve them.

  3. DO THE MATH • In the Electoral College, every state gets a number of electors equal to the size of its congressional delegation. • A state's # of electors =# of US house of representatives + # of US senators • Example: In Congress 34 TX Congressional Delegates = 32 HR + 2 Senators

  4. US Map of Elector: • Let’s practice determining the congressional delegation of other states. • Electoral College Interactive Mapand History • Supplemental Information: • http://www.electoral-vote.com/

  5. Every State Has At Least 1 HR And All States Only Have 2 US Senators: • EXAMPLE: • Wyoming has three electors because that state has one member in the House of Representatives and two seats in the Senate.

  6. 23rd Amendment Gives Electors to DC: • The District of Columbia receives 3 electors which is the number of the smallest populous states. • For Example: Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. • All have 3 electors.

  7. DO THE MATH • With 435 seats in the House • 100 seats in the Senate • The 23rd Amendment providing three more • We arrive at a total of 538 electors or members of the Electoral College. • Since a candidate must receive a majority of those 538 votes to be elected president, 270 becomes the magic number that carries a nominee into the White House.

  8. DO THE MATH TO BE PRESIDENT • Since a candidate must receive a majority of those 538 votes to be elected president, how do we arrive at the magical number? • Formulas: • Majority= 50% + 1 Plurality” = Who wins the most votes cast. • 538 votes divided by two (50%) plus one, equals 270 electors. • Thus, 270 becomes the magical number that carries a nominee into the White House.

  9. IT STARTS WITH A PARTY • Each party must provide a list of people they want to serve as electors should they win on Election Day. • In early summer of the election year, the major parties select these potential electors at their state conventions.

  10. Using Texas as an example—which has 34 congressional delegates. • At their state conventions, each party convenes and selects 34 electors: • Democratic Party selects 34 electors. • Republican Party selects 34 electors. • Libertarian Party selects 34 electors. • Green Party selects 34 electors. • Constitutional Party selects 34 electors

  11. NOW, YOU COUNT • On election day in November, the people go to the polls and cast their votes. • The people are not voting for a presidential candidate. • The people are voting for a list of electors.

  12. Let’s use Texas as an example: • If a voter marked the box for George W. Bush in the last election, the voter really voted for a list of 34 Republicans to become electors. • If a voter checked the box next to Al Gore's name, the voter stated that she/he wanted Texas to be represented in the Electoral College by the list of Democrat electors turned into the state prior to the election.

  13. WINNER TAKE ALL SYSTEM • If a candidate wins the state's popular vote by one vote, that candidate’s party receives all the state's electors. • A candidate could carry every ballot in South Dakota, completely shutting out your opponent and that candidate would lock up three electoral votes. • Yet, a candidate could carry California by just one vote over her/his rival and the candidate will get all 55 of those electors. • That is what allowed George W. Bush to become president even though AI Gore had more than four hundred thousand more popular votes.

  14. Mini Example: John Kerry vs George Bush • How did Bush win? • Press link to view Column 3: http://www.accd.edu/sac/gov/smith/2301Trad/Rich_Text_Format_files/Resource_Materials/Electoral_College_Table.rtf

  15. STAYING HOME FOR COLLEGE • We still do not have a president yet because all we have done in November is the people selected the electors who will elect the president. • In December, the electors go to their state capitols and cast their votes for president and vice president.

  16. Electors Go To Vote For President And Vice President At State Capitols. • For example, electors go to her/his respective state capitol. • Austin, Texas • Sacramento, CA • Springfield, IL • Harrisburg, PA • Madison, WI

  17. We Still Do Not Have A President: • The election by electors in December is the actual vote for president. • Note that the Electoral College never meets as an entire institution. Each elector went to her/his state capitol to vote for the president. • The results of each state's vote are then sent to the Congress.

  18. THE ENVELOPES, PLEASE • In January, Congress convenes. • With the vice president presiding, opens the states' ballots and declares a winner. • Which ever candidate secures 270 electors, wins the race for the presidency.

  19. What Happens When No Presidential Candidate Secures 270 Electors’ votes? • With a strong third party candidate siphoning some electoral votes away from the two major parties, we could have an election where no candidate secures the majority. • In that case, the top three candidates in the electoral voting would advance for a vote in the House of Representatives. • In that body, each state is given one vote and it takes a majority ( 50 % plus 1= 26 states voting for a specific candidate) to select the president.

  20. What Happens When No Vice Presidential Candidate Secures 270 Electors’ Votes? • Absent a majority vote for the vice president, the top two candidates would advance to the senate. • Each senator would cast a vote and the majority ( 50 % plus 1 = 51 senators) elect the vice president.

  21. Timeline Review: • In Summer—via parties, electors are selected in all 50 states. • In November—the people go to the polls and cast their votes for a list of electors. • In December—electors go to their state capitols and cast their votes for president and vice president. • In January—the vice president declares which candidate secures 270 electors: President & VP.

  22. Timeline Review Continues: • In January—if no presidential and/or vice presidential candidate secures 270 electors: • In Congress, each state in the HR would have one vote and the candidate that secures the majority vote in this chamber becomes president. • In Congress, each senator casts a vote and the candidate with a majority becomes vice president.

  23. This concludes the lecture on Electoral College. • See link for article on “The Electoral College” • http://www.accd.edu/sac/gov/smith/2301Trad/Electoral_College.htm Course Requirements|Smith's Home Page  | Syllabus |Assignments| Extra Credit | Lectures Review Sheets Course Grade Scale |Examinations | Contact | CalendarAbout Prof | SLAC Lab| PALS

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