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The Electoral College

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Why Does It Exist?

• Founders wanted to protect interests of small states

• Founders felt it was necessary to have educated & literate voters, direct popular vote= reckless*

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Solution: The Electoral College

• Compromise created by Alexander Hamilton– Some people wanted

Congress to control the Presidency

– Others supported a popular vote by citizens

• Hamilton’s solution indirect voting by the people for the President*

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How It Works…• When people vote, they are actually voting for

a slate (group) of electors NOT candidates

• Each party has its own slate of electors– Electors pledge support to candidates of

their party

• The candidate with the most popular votes in a State, wins all of that State’s electoral votes winner-take-all system*

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Selecting a Winner• Electors meet in

state capitals in Dec. & cast votes

• Congress counts the electoral vote on Jan. 6th & declares a winner

• The elected President is sworn in on Jan. 20th*

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In the Case of an Unclear Winner…

• If no candidate receives the majority of all the electoral votes—then the House of Representatives selects the President

• Each state then receives 1 vote – (small states=large

states)*

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Electoral College By the #’s…

• 538 Total– 435 Representatives +

100 Senators + 3 (D.C.)

• Majority= 270+ of the total 538– Must earn 270+

(Magic #) to win Presidency*

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Determining Electoral Votes

• How many electoral votes does each state receive?– Each state & the District

of Columbia have electoral votes (based on population)

• Calculating Electoral Votes…– A state’s electoral votes= #

of Representatives in the House + # of Senators

– Ohio= 20 electoral votes (18 reps + 2 sens.)

– Washington, D.C. has 3 electoral votes*

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How Are Electors Selected?

• No exact process across the board (all states)

2 Main Ways Exist…

• #1. The elector is nominated by his or her state party committee

• #2. The elector "campaigns" for a spot and the decision is made during a vote held at the state's party convention*

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Elector Qualifications• There are no real

qualifications to be an elector– Electors can be from any

political party– Electors are usually

politically active & are sometimes connected to candidates

– Electors only have 1 responsibility: to select the President & Vice President*

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Elector Qualifications Con’t.

• There are some “can’t be” restrictions…

• He or she cannot be a Representative or Senator

• He or she cannot be a high-

ranking U.S. official in a position of "trust or profit"

• He or she cannot be someone who has "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" against the U.S.*

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Problems With the System

• The electoral college system is widely criticized/debated

• 3 Main Problems Exist…*

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Problem #1• The winner of the popular

vote may not become President—unfair

– A candidate could win narrowly in big states & lose many small states yet still win the electoral majority needed to win the Presidency

• This situation has occurred 4 times in U.S. history & almost in several other elections

– Largest disparity occurred in 2000 election*

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Problem #2

• Nothing requires a State’s presidential electors to vote for the candidate who wins that State’s popular vote—no law/rule exists– Unlikely, yet possible

problem*

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Problem #3

• A strong third party candidate could put an election to the House of Representatives– Spoiler role*

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Other Minor Problems…

• Votes for losing candidate don’t count

• Certain states are ignored by candidates because of their small impact, while other states are focused on more

• Some large states are ignored because they are predominately considered to favor either the Democratic or Republican parties*

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Proposals For Reform• There have been more than

700 attempts to change the Electoral College system

• Difficult to change—requires Constitutional Amendment

• There are 4 main proposals regarding changing the electoral college system*

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Direct Popular Election

• The voters directly elect the President– Get rid of the system

all together!– Proposed by Jimmy

Carter in ’77

• Big states would have more control than less-populated states—would receive more attention

• Forever changes the federal system*

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The District Plan

• Electors would represent congressional districts & support the popular vote winner in their district– 2 votes/state + 1

vote/district

• Eliminates winner-take-all system

• Still possibility to lose popular vote & win election*

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The Proportional Plan

• Each candidate would receive the same share of the State’s electoral vote as he/she received from the popular vote– Win 60% popular vote,

receive 60% of electoral votes

• Eliminates winner-take-all system

• Eliminates chance of electors voting for someone they aren’t pledged to support

• Enlarges chance of a minor party messing up an election

• Complicates elections– Creates greater chance of

sending to the House of Representatives*

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National Bonus Plan

• Adds to the current electoral system plan by adding bonus electoral votes to the winner of the popular vote

• The plan is not well-known or understood

• Has little public support*

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