The Electoral College How is the president elected anyway?

How does a president win an election? How is a president elected? How is a president elected? Take a minute and answer this question in your notebooks; label this section “ The Electoral College” Take a minute and answer this question in your notebooks; label this section “ The Electoral College”

Well what do you think?

True or False The person who wins the most votes wins the election? The person who wins the most votes wins the election?

FALSE!!!!!!! Popular vote: The results of the general election. Contrary to popular belief, the winner of the popular vote is not always the winner of the presidency.

Don’t believe me?...ask Al Gore In 2000 Democrat Al Gore lost to Republican George W. Bush despite winning more votes in the general election. The Popular Vote In 2000 Democrat Al Gore lost to Republican George W. Bush despite winning more votes in the general election. The Popular Vote Al Gore50,996,039 George W. Bush 50,456,141

So why is this? When the Constitution was being written the founders of our country disagreed on how the president should be elected. Some felt that congress should choose the president Others felt that the people (Americans) should choose the president So…...they compromised......more on that later.

Representation in the States When the articles of the confederation were first drafted people from smaller states complained that their concerns/ideas were being ignored in Congress and that the representatives from larger states were “hogging” all the attention. When the articles of the confederation were first drafted people from smaller states complained that their concerns/ideas were being ignored in Congress and that the representatives from larger states were “hogging” all the attention. Representatives from larger states argued that because they represented more people (higher population) they had more of a right to be heard/make decisions. Representatives from larger states argued that because they represented more people (higher population) they had more of a right to be heard/make decisions.

Representation in the States Today, this is the compromise that was reached. Today, this is the compromise that was reached. Each state has two senators Each state has two senators The number of congressmen/women are determined by the state’s population. The number of congressmen/women are determined by the state’s population.

Use your phones to look up the answers to the following questions What is the population of MN? What is the population of MN? What is the population of CA? What is the population of CA?

So…... Which state should have more representatives in Congress?

Now, using your phones again, answer these questions… How many Congressmen/women does MN have? How many Congressmen/women does MN have? How many Congressmen/women does CA have? How many Congressmen/women does CA have?

MN has 8

CA has 53 I can’t fit all their pictures on one slide, or two, or three or four, etc.

But why does this matter? Because of the ELECTORAL COLLEGE! “umm…the what now?”

Remember when I told you that…. The framers of the constitution disagreed on how to elect a president. Some felt that it should be the duty of Congress, while others felt that it should be up to the people? Well….the electoral college was the compromise.

The Electoral College The Electoral College – The system used to elect the president of the United States of America. In this system each state has a certain number of electoral votes. One vote per senator, and one vote per member of the House of Representatives. The Electoral College – The system used to elect the president of the United States of America. In this system each state has a certain number of electoral votes. One vote per senator, and one vote per member of the House of Representatives. The electors (people who actually cast the state electoral votes) are typically high ranking members of their political party. The electors (people who actually cast the state electoral votes) are typically high ranking members of their political party.

Winner take all system…wel in 48 of 50 anyway.. Every state aside from Maine and Nebraska has a ‘winner take all’ system concerning their state’s electoral votes. Every state aside from Maine and Nebraska has a ‘winner take all’ system concerning their state’s electoral votes. This means that if a candidate wins the majority of a state’s electoral votes…they win them all. This means that if a candidate wins the majority of a state’s electoral votes…they win them all. Example: MN has 10 electoral votes...so if a candidate were to win 6 or more....they’d get all 10. Example: MN has 10 electoral votes...so if a candidate were to win 6 or more....they’d get all 10. In ME, and NE winner takes senators’ votes, representatitves votes are proportional by district. In ME, and NE winner takes senators’ votes, representatitves votes are proportional by district.

So…... How many electoral votes does MN have? How many electoral votes does MN have? What about CA? What about CA?

MN vs. CA MN has 10 and CA has 55 MN has 10 and CA has 55 MN: 2 senators, 8 representatives = 10 votes MN: 2 senators, 8 representatives = 10 votes CA: 2 senators, 53 representatives = 55 votes CA: 2 senators, 53 representatives = 55 votes So who has more of an impact on the presidential election in our country…Minnesotans or Californians? So who has more of an impact on the presidential election in our country…Minnesotans or Californians?

There are 538 electoral votes in all…. One for each senator (100 senators) One for each senator (100 senators) One for each member of Congress (438 members) One for each member of Congress (438 members) Winning candidate needs a majority…hence.... Winning candidate needs a majority…hence....

270 to win….

Electoral College Map 2012

So…Finally.... Do you feel represented by this system? Do you feel represented by this system? Do you think this is a fair system of electing a president? Why or why not? If you disagree with the system…tell me what you think should be done instead... Do you think this is a fair system of electing a president? Why or why not? If you disagree with the system…tell me what you think should be done instead... Does this sysyem represent the founding ideal of democracy? Why or why not? Does this sysyem represent the founding ideal of democracy? Why or why not?