Getting to know the Electoral College
U.S. Constitution Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.
12th Amendment (1804) After the Election of 1800 (Jefferson vs. Adams – which later became Jefferson vs. Burr) many saw the need to change the way the Constitution designed the Electoral College. Today the Vice President and President are elected on the same ticket.
Getting to Know the Electoral College (4:43)
ELECTION 2000 CANDIDATES George W. Bush/ Dick Cheney Republicans Al Gore/ Joe Lieberman Democrats Ralph Nader/ Winona LaDuke Green Pat Buchanan/ Ezola Foster Reform Harry Browne/ Art Olivier Libertarian James Harris/ Margaret Trowe Socialists John Hagelin/ Nat Goldhaber Natural Law Monica Moorehead/ Gloria LaRiva Workers
“Butterfly Ballot” West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach Election Rules Any duplicate marks- Voided Ballot Any sheet with two holes- Voided Ballot Any sheet not punched through all the way- Voided Ballot. “Hanging Chad”
NEEDED TO WIN THE PRESIDENCY 538 TOTAL ELECTORAL VOTES 50% +1 = WINNER 269 = 50% 270 =WINNER OF ELECTION
FLORIDA VOTES 2000 ELECTION GEORGE W. BUSH ALBERT GORE RALPH NADER PAT BUCHANAN 2,912,790 2,912,253 97,488 3,407
Why those were probably not votes for Patrick Buchanan… Buchanan once praised Hitler. The counties vote = 20% of his state total. 19,000 other ballots were nullified in the same county for having two punched holes. Buchanan earned 0.3% in State election. Buchanan earned 0.8% in county election. The county is made up mostly of liberal JEWISH voters who have retired from northeastern states (like NY)
Florida Final Vote George W. Bush All 25 Electoral Votes
ELECTION 2000 BUSH - 271 GORE - 266
2000 RESULTS GEORGE W. BUSH AL GORE RALPH NADER 271 ELECTORAL VOTES 50.5 MILLION VOTES AL GORE 266 ELECTORAL VOTES 51 MILLION VOTES RALPH NADER 0 ELECTORAL VOTES 2.8 MILLION VOTES
ELECTION 2004
2004 RESULTS GEORGE W. BUSH JOHN KERRY RALPH NADER 286 ELECTORAL VOTES 62 MILLION VOTES JOHN KERRY 251 ELECTORAL VOTES 59 MILLION VOTES RALPH NADER 0 ELECTORAL VOTES 463 THOUSAND VOTES
Election 2008
2008 RESULTS Barack Obama John McCain Ralph Nader 365 ELECTORAL VOTES 69.5 MILLION VOTES John McCain 173 ELECTORAL VOTES 59.9 MILLION VOTES Ralph Nader 0 ELECTORAL VOTES 738 THOUSAND VOTES
Election 2012
2012 RESULTS Barack Obama Mitt Romney Gary Johnson 332 ELECTORAL VOTES 65.9 MILLION VOTES Mitt Romney 206 ELECTORAL VOTES 60.9 MILLION VOTES Gary Johnson 0 ELECTORAL VOTES 1.3 MILLION VOTES
Election 2012 (by county)
BIGGEST LANDSLIDE 1984 Reagan 525, Mondale 13
Role of 3rd Parties Spoiler Role Pull support from the major parties (Nader) Roosevelt/Taft vs. Wilson Innovator Willing and able to discuss controversial issues
2012 Election Results
2016 Electoral Projection Take out your 2016 Presidential Election Electoral Projection (back of Election Collection Guide) 2012 Presidential Election Results