The Electoral CollegeThe Electoral College

Electing the U.S. PresidentElecting the U.S. President

OriginsOrigins Article II of U.S. Article II of U.S.

ConstitutionConstitution Established as Established as

compromise between compromise between election of president by election of president by Congress and election Congress and election by popular voteby popular vote– Based on same big Based on same big

state/small state state/small state compromises that compromises that created Senate and created Senate and HouseHouse

– Most common people Most common people knew little about politics knew little about politics and could not read or and could not read or writewrite

Article II, Section 1, Clause 2Article II, Section 1, Clause 2

Each state shall appoint, in such manner Each state shall appoint, in such manner as the legislature thereof may direct, a as the legislature thereof may direct, a number of Electors, equal to the whole number of Electors, equal to the whole

number of Senators and number of Senators and Representatives to which the state may Representatives to which the state may

be entitled in the Congress: but no be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representa-tive, or person Senator or Representa-tive, or person

holding an office of trust or profit under holding an office of trust or profit under the United States, shall be appointed an the United States, shall be appointed an

Elector.Elector.

MechanicsMechanics

Consists of 538 electorsConsists of 538 electors– One for each of 435 members of HouseOne for each of 435 members of House– One for each of 100 members of SenateOne for each of 100 members of Senate– 3 for District of Columbia (233 for District of Columbia (23rdrd Amend.) Amend.)– The decennial census is used to The decennial census is used to

reapportion the number of electors reapportion the number of electors allocated among the statesallocated among the states

ProceduresProcedures

For most states:For most states:– Each party chooses their own slate of Each party chooses their own slate of

electorselectors– When you cast your vote in a presidential When you cast your vote in a presidential

election, you are actually voting for a election, you are actually voting for a slate of electorsslate of electors

– After the general election, the state After the general election, the state Governor prepares a Certificate of Governor prepares a Certificate of Ascertainment to show which electors Ascertainment to show which electors have been appointedhave been appointed

Selection of ElectorsSelection of Electors

Each stateEach state’’s legislature determines s legislature determines how their electors are chosenhow their electors are chosen– 48 states and Washington, D.C. employ 48 states and Washington, D.C. employ

a winner-takes-all method (to determine a winner-takes-all method (to determine which slate of electors will be chosen)which slate of electors will be chosen)

– Maine and Nebraska select one elector Maine and Nebraska select one elector within each Congressional District by within each Congressional District by popular vote, and select the remaining popular vote, and select the remaining two electors by the aggregate, state-two electors by the aggregate, state-wide popular vote.wide popular vote.

Elector EtiquetteElector Etiquette No Constitutional provision No Constitutional provision

or federal law requiring or federal law requiring electors to vote in electors to vote in accordance with the popular accordance with the popular vote in their statesvote in their states– In 1976, WA elector pledged In 1976, WA elector pledged

to President Ford voted for to President Ford voted for Ronald ReaganRonald Reagan

– In 1988, WV elector voted In 1988, WV elector voted for Sen. Lloyd Bentsen as for Sen. Lloyd Bentsen as Pres. and Gov. Michael Pres. and Gov. Michael Dukakis as V.P.Dukakis as V.P.

Some states’ laws require Some states’ laws require electors to cast their votes electors to cast their votes according to the popular according to the popular votevote– So-called So-called ““faithless electorsfaithless electors””

may be subject to fines or may be subject to fines or may be disqualified for may be disqualified for casting an invalid votecasting an invalid vote

Once Electors Are ChosenOnce Electors Are Chosen

Electors chosen on election day meet Electors chosen on election day meet in their respective state capitols on the in their respective state capitols on the Monday after the second Wednesday Monday after the second Wednesday in December (December 17in December (December 17thth this year) this year)

Meeting opened by Election Meeting opened by Election Certification Official (normally the Certification Official (normally the statestate’’s Secretary of State)s Secretary of State)– Reads the Certificate of Ascertainment (to Reads the Certificate of Ascertainment (to

make sure all electors are present)make sure all electors are present)

What Happens Next?What Happens Next?

Chairman is chosenChairman is chosen Secretary appointed to take minutesSecretary appointed to take minutes Electors choose one or two people to Electors choose one or two people to

act as tellersact as tellers Each elector then submits a written Each elector then submits a written

ballot with name of Presidential ballot with name of Presidential candidatecandidate

Tellers count the ballots and announce Tellers count the ballots and announce resultsresults

Then What?Then What?

Certificate of Votes are preparedCertificate of Votes are prepared– States number of electoral votes cast for States number of electoral votes cast for

which candidatewhich candidate– 5 original copies signed by every 5 original copies signed by every

elector; one copy sent to President of elector; one copy sent to President of the U.S. Senate by certified mail the U.S. Senate by certified mail

Staff member in the Vice PresidentStaff member in the Vice President’’s s office collects the Certificates of Vote office collects the Certificates of Vote from each state when they arrive.from each state when they arrive.

Is It Official Yet?Is It Official Yet?

Certificates are arranged – unopened Certificates are arranged – unopened – in alphabetical order and placed in – in alphabetical order and placed in special mahogany boxesspecial mahogany boxes– AL through MO (and D.C.) go into one boxAL through MO (and D.C.) go into one box– MT through WY go into the other boxMT through WY go into the other box

A Joint Session is called to count the A Joint Session is called to count the electoral voteselectoral votes– Always on January 6Always on January 6thth of year following of year following

election at 1 p.m.election at 1 p.m.

And Then?And Then?

The V.P. and Speaker of the House sit at The V.P. and Speaker of the House sit at the front podiumthe front podium

Senate pages bring in the 2 boxesSenate pages bring in the 2 boxes Each chamber appoints 2 tellers to count Each chamber appoints 2 tellers to count

the votesthe votes Relevant portions of Certificate of Vote are Relevant portions of Certificate of Vote are

read for each state, in alphabetical orderread for each state, in alphabetical order If there are no objections, the presiding If there are no objections, the presiding

officer declares the result of the voteofficer declares the result of the vote

ResultsResults

A majority of 270 electoral votes is A majority of 270 electoral votes is required to elect the Pres. and V.P.required to elect the Pres. and V.P.

(538 divided by 2 = 269)(538 divided by 2 = 269)

True or False: A candidate must win True or False: A candidate must win the electoral votes in more than half the electoral votes in more than half of the US states to become of the US states to become president.president.

New Electoral MapNew Electoral Map

What Could Go Wrong?What Could Go Wrong?

What happens if no candidate gets a What happens if no candidate gets a majority of the votes (i.e., 270)?majority of the votes (i.e., 270)?– The House of Representatives decidesThe House of Representatives decides– Happened in 1800 and should have Happened in 1800 and should have

happened in 1824happened in 1824 Is it possible to win the popular vote Is it possible to win the popular vote

but lose the electoral college vote?but lose the electoral college vote?– Happened in 1876, 1888 and 2000Happened in 1876, 1888 and 2000

18001800

Two major political parties at the time: Two major political parties at the time: Democratic-Republican and FederalistDemocratic-Republican and Federalist

In Electoral College, Thomas Jefferson In Electoral College, Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, both from D-R party and Aaron Burr, both from D-R party each got 73 Electoral College votes, each got 73 Electoral College votes, while John Adams, the Federalist while John Adams, the Federalist candidate, got 65candidate, got 65

As per Constitution, House of Reps As per Constitution, House of Reps decided: Adams voted President and decided: Adams voted President and Jefferson was made V.P.Jefferson was made V.P.

18241824 All candidates from Democratic-Republican All candidates from Democratic-Republican

partyparty War hero Andrew Jackson got 99 votes, John War hero Andrew Jackson got 99 votes, John

Quincy Adams (son of former Pres. John Quincy Adams (son of former Pres. John Adams) got 84, William Crawford got 41 and Adams) got 84, William Crawford got 41 and Henry Clay got 37. No one got majority of 131 Henry Clay got 37. No one got majority of 131 needed to win.needed to win.

Clay was Speaker of the House and promised Clay was Speaker of the House and promised to withdraw if his supporters would vote for to withdraw if his supporters would vote for Adams (who had promised Clay the Secretary Adams (who had promised Clay the Secretary of State cabinet position)of State cabinet position)

Adams became President as a result which Adams became President as a result which many believed was a very corrupt arrangementmany believed was a very corrupt arrangement

18761876

Samuel Tilden (Democrat)Rutherford B. Hayes

(Republican)

18881888

Grover Cleveland

Benjamin Harrison

20002000

Al Gore (Democrat) George W. Bush (Republican)

On a clean, full-size sheet of notebook On a clean, full-size sheet of notebook paper, answer the following questions:paper, answer the following questions:

1.1.What is the minimum number of states a What is the minimum number of states a candidate can win and become president?candidate can win and become president?

2.2.Name those states?Name those states?

3.3.In your opinion, should the United States In your opinion, should the United States change how we elect our president? If change how we elect our president? If not, why not? If so, how should we change not, why not? If so, how should we change itit??

AssignmentAssignment