A Method of Indirect Election The Electoral College A Method of Indirect Election

Straight Ticket Unified Government Split Ticket Divided Government

The Electoral College and Federalism The electoral college reflects the federal nature of the Constitution because it ensures that the states have a role in selecting the president.

State Electoral Votes Each state is entitled to as many electoral votes as the sum of its representation in the U.S. House and Senate Ohio: 16 House members plus 2 Senators = 18 Electoral Votes (2012) Total: 435 House members plus 100 Senators (plus 3 electors from the District of Columbia) = 538 electoral votes

Selection of Electors All but two states use a Winner-Take-All statewide election system The candidate that gets the most votes (plurality) in a state, gets the whole slate of electoral votes. Maine and Nebraska award electors based on the statewide vote and the vote in each of the state’s congressional districts.

In each state, each party selects a slate of electors, hoping that they will be activated by voters in the general election. 18 Electors 18 Electors

Winner-Take-All 18 Electors 18 Electors

Voters and Electors An Ohioan who votes for Obama is really voting for a slate of electors pledged to cast the state’s electoral votes for Obama. In 2000, Bush won all of Florida’s 25 electoral votes because the final official vote tally showed him ahead of Gore by 537 votes.

The 2000 Election The Popular Vote Al Gore 50,996,039 George W. Bush 50,456,141 The Electoral Vote George W. Bush 271 Al Gore 267

2000

Key Events General Election is held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. On the Monday after the second Wednesday in December, the electors gather in their respective state capitols to cast ballots for president and vice president. On January 6, a joint session of Congress convenes, and the President of the Senate counts the ballots received from each state, and announces the official outcome. January 20 @ Noon- Inauguration

What if no one receives a majority? To win, a candidate needs a majority, that is, 270 electoral votes. If no candidate has a majority, the House selects the president. Each state delegation has one vote. This last happened in 1824 when Congress chose John Quincy Adams over Andrew Jackson and William Crawford. It also happened in 1800. The Senate selects the vice president from the top two vice-presidential candidates.

The Popular Vote versus the Electoral Vote In a close race, the popular vote winner may not win the electoral college. Electoral vote winners who lost the popular vote Bush over Gore in 2000 Benjamin Harrison over Grover Cleveland in 1888 Rutherford B. Hayes over Samuel Tilden in 1876 John Quincy Adams over Andrew Jackson in 1824.

Criticisms of the Electoral College The popular vote winner may lose the presidency. (4x) Winner-Take-All (undemocratic?) Electors may vote for persons other than their party’s presidential and vice presidential candidates. (Faithless Elector) If no candidate receives a majority, Congress will pick the president and vice president.

Electoral Results

1952

1956

1960

1964

1968

1972

1976

1980

1984

1988

1992

1996

2000

2004

2008

2012

Proposals for Reform Eliminate electors but still count electoral votes. Select electors based on the proportion of the vote each candidate gets in each state. Choose the president by direct popular election.

The 1960 World Series And The Electoral College

                                                                                                                              

In 1960, the Yankees outscored the Pittsburgh Pirates, 55 to 27, and out-hit them, .338 to .256. They set records for runs scored, hits, batting average, slugging percentage, total bases, and RBI.

Yet the Pirates won the World Series on a home run in the ninth inning of the seventh game. That home run came not from Pirate legend Roberto Clemente but from their second baseman, Bill Mazeroski.

                                                                                                                              

1960 World Series Games 1 6 4 2 3 16 3 10 4 3 2 5 2 6 12 7 10 9 Runs 10 4 3 2 5 2 6 12 7 10 9 Runs 27 55 G’s 4 3 Pirates Yankees

A very strange series indeed, as all three Yankee victories were major blowouts, while the Pirates got good pitching and defense in three of their four wins.

Task: Explain why the 1960 World Series outcome can be used to make an argument for or against the Electoral College.

2012

Task: What are the fewest number of states a candidate could win and become the President of the United States?

NFL Team Total Offense Statistics 2011 Team Points/Game Green Bay 35 New Orleans 34.2 New England 32.1 Detroit 29.6 San Diego 25.4 30. Cleveland 13.6