Happy Monday

• Quiz on Tuesday (tomorrow)– The Election Process (primaries and ballots)

• Test on Friday– The Election Process – The Electoral College

• If you were absent Friday and want to see your grades see me at the end of class

The Electoral College

Our Founding Fathers• Founding Fathers had two ideas– Have Congress choose the President

• Good because Congressmen are knowledgeable about politics and not that many votes to count

• Bad because the people would never get to vote and the president might try too much to please Congress so he gets elected again

– Use the Popular Vote• Good because the people can vote and the most votes win• Bad because elections could lead to “disorder” trying to

count all the votes and average Americans were very spread out across the country and not necessarily knowledgeable about politics

– Compromise- The Electoral College (Alex Hamilton)

Electors

• Each state has electors equal to number of national legislators (Senators + Representatives)

• Each party chooses people to fill these elector seats (and go to Washington to vote for President) if their candidate gets the most vote in that state

• One candidate gets all the electoral votes for a state (even if they only win by 51%) (NE/ME exceptions)

• Today in The Electoral College - must win a majority of the 538- Electoral Votes (270)

Flaws/Defects

1. Winning popular does not ensure electoral vote (4 times- 2000 election) 2. Electors do not have to follow the

popular vote of their state“Faithless Elector” (11 times)

3. Third Parties make possibility of House of Reps decision (2 times)

Current Alternatives

1. The District Plan - Elector from each district, follow popular vote of the district2. The Proportional Plan - Each candidate would receive a proportion of electoral votes equal to the popular vote of the state3. Direct Popular Election - The voters directly elect the president4. National Bonus Plan - Add to current system by giving popular vote winner bonus electoral votes