Electoral College How the President is ACTUALLY chosen
Why Electoral College? WHY??? • Framers distrusted voters • most voters relatively uneducated • Framers want elite to actually select the president • Presumably better-informed • Choose people with actual political knowledge/experience “It would be as unnatural to refer the choice . . . to the people as it would to refer a trial of colours to a blind man.”-George Mason
What’s the Electoral College? WHAT??? • Each state allotted number of electors based on total number of Representatives and Senators • MN = 8 Reps + 2 Sens or 10 electoral votes • Electors are individuals chosen by each party in each state • Usually a “reward” for faithful service • NOT the Reps and Sens themselves • Electors meet and cast ballots (one each for Prez and Vice Prez) in December, to be counted in January when new Congressional Session opens
Electoral College Particulars cont’d • A candidate needs a true majority (not a plurality) to win the Electoral College outright • 435 Reps + 100 Senators + 3 votes for DC = 538 votes, thus a majority is at least 270 Electoral Votes • If no candidate has a majority, the House of Representatives chooses the President based on one vote per state, Senate chooses Vice President with each Senator casting a ballot
Still more Electoral College Particulars • Each state has power to determine how to distribute electoral votes • 48 states winner-take-all • Maine and Nebraska proportional allocation • 2 Electoral votes allotted to overall winner, other votes divided based on who won each district. • Occasionally this happens elsewhere – “faithless electors”
A look at some historical elections . . . • 1800 – 36 ballots in the House • 1860 – Lincoln – note the divided nation • 1912 – Impact of “Third Parties” • 1932 – Impact of Great Depression • 1972 – Huge Landslide – Nixon • 2000 – most recent popular-vote loser • 2004 – “Oops” in Minnesota • Examples snipped from: http://www.100bestwebsites.org/alt/evmaps/electoral-maps.htm
1800 – T-Jeff’s squeaker Electors cast two ballots each, most votes would be Prez, 2nd most VP. Jefferson’s electors ALL cast their second ballots for Aaron Burr resulting in a tie. It took the House 36 votes to finally choose Jefferson
1860 – A Nation Divided
1912 – Bull Mooses butt heads with Republicans Taft OR Roosevelt likely could have won; Taft AND Roosevelt split the votes allowing Wilson to win
1932 – Republicans blamed for Depression Hoover didn’t cause the Depression, but it happened on his party’s watch. FDR reaps the rewards
1972 – Landslide win for R.M. Nixon Nixon’s re-election bid sweeps all but one state and DC. He would resign in August of ‘74 due to Watergate scandal
2000 – Gore and the Florida Nightmare Electoral College thrust back into public debate; why?
2004 – John Edwards probable only ever Presidential Electoral Vote Note the faithless elector voting for John Edwards in MN.
Does the Electoral College need fixin’? • Keep in mind, only 4 times in nation’s history has the popular vote winner not won the presidency • What are some possible reforms? • What benefits might each offer? • What are some obstacles to reform? • Here’s another example if we have time…
Imagine if you will… • The world welcomes a new nation called Giesenstan!! • Giesenstan’s leaders think America is pretty much the bee’s knees, and thus they adopt a virtually identical Constitution. • This includes the electoral college and its winner-take-all application
GIESENSTAN!!! StinksburgPop: 300,000 New Belle PlainePop: 100,000 DorksylvaniaPop: 450,000 SpungoPop: 50,000
Table of data
Election #1 • The first election in Giesenstan history pits Giesen against rival Norman for the presidency. Here are the results: • Which candidate will win the most POPULAR VOTES? • Which candidate will win the most ELECTORAL VOTES? • Who wins: Norman – 500,000 votes [Giesen – 400,000 votes] Giesen – 8 Electoral Votes [Norman – 7 Electoral Votes] GIESEN!!!
Following that election… • Giesen, being a ruthless despot, annexes some neighboring territory and establishes a 5th state ChumpshirePop: 50,000
Election 2! • Norman challenges Giesen’s re-election bid! • Which candidate will win the most POPULAR VOTES? • Which candidate will receive the most ELECTORAL VOTES? Norman – 550,000 votes [Giesen – 400,000 votes] TRICK QUESTION!!!! THEY’RE TIED!!! House of Reps, 1 vote per state So who has to decide? GIESEN!!! So who wins???
See the problems? • Should the Electoral College remain? • If not? Why? What parts need fixing? How do we fix them? • If we should keep it, think about why!
A Couple Fun/Awesome campaign ads – Dale Peterson gives a RIP! • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU7fhIO7DG0 • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GabMEHfCjT0 • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBAShu7PKcI
