Third Parties and the Electoral College

Purposes of Parties Inform-issues Nominate candidates Ensure good performance—your own party Watchdog—other party Govern—make the laws

How are third parties like a shooting star??

Third Parties Bring up new ideas Influence the people and parties Third Party Short term Big flash Fizzle out Bring up new ideas Influence the people and parties Absorbed into major parties

Roots of Third Parties Single issue— Green Economic protest—Tea Party Ideology—Libertarian Splinter—”Bull Moose”

Electoral College One vote per representative and senator Minimum # is 3 3 votes for D.C. (23rd amendment) Voters vote for a slate of electors Electors pledge to vote for candidate who won the state in the popular election 48 states—winner takes all (exceptions—NE & ME)

Why do we have an electoral college? Fear--Founding Fathers didn’t trust the judgment of the people—too easy to manipulate Knowledge—Voters won’t know candidates from other states Representation--Gives the states a say in the choice of President (Federalism)

Problems with the electoral college Win popular vote and lose electoral college Faithless electors No majority in electoral college—House of Rep. votes 1 per state (top 3 candidates) 9 faithless electors total, four won pop vote but not pres

Proportional Allocation of Electoral Votes : Electoral votes are split by popular vote percentages

Direct Vote with Plurality Rule Abolish electoral college—popular vote only Requires constitutional amendment

Congressional District Method Divides votes by district plus 2 extra for winner of the popular vote

Direct Election with Instant Runoff Voting: Voters rank their choices to insure a majority and not just a plurality

National Bonus Plan:  Keep electoral college but give the winner of the popular vote bonus electoral college votes

Binding Proposal Force electors to vote the way the voters did—no more faithless electors