1. Minilesson:
Separation of Powers and Federalism
Work Time:
Federalism Venn diagram

2. Separation of Powers power to govern divided between three branches
Legislative branch (Lawmaking)
Executive branch (Enforces  carries out the laws)
Judicial branch (Judges [interprets] the laws)

3. Checks and Balances
prevents one branch from dominating the others

4. C & BExecutive On Legislative On Judicial Veto bills of Congress
Call special sessions
Propose legislation

6. C & BExecutive On Legislative On Judicial Veto bills of Congress
appoint federal judges
Call special sessions
pardon people convicted of crimes
Propose legislation

8. C & BLegislative On Executive On Judicial override presidential veto
Approve funding
Impeach or remove president or high ranking officials
Confirms/rejects federal appointments

10. C & BLegislative On Executive On Judicial
override presidential veto
Establish lower federal courts
Approve funding
confirm/reject appointment of federal judges
Impeach or remove president or high ranking officials
Impeach and remove federal judges
Confirms/rejects federal appointments

13. C & BJudicial On Executive On Legislative Appointed for life
Declare presidential actions unconstitutional

14. C & BJudicial On Executive On Legislative Appointed for life
Decide the meaning of laws
Declare presidential actions unconstitutional
Declare laws unconstitutional

15. Federalism  Division of Powers
national gov’t shares powers with state gov’ts
National gov’t:
delegated (enumerated) powers: expressed or implied by the Constitution
State gov’ts:
reserved powers: not stated in the Constitution therefore given to the states
Both:
concurrent powers: shared powers

16. protect public health and safety Provide army and navy
spend money for general welfare
use power Const does not give federal gov’t or deny the states
establish courts
copyright and patent laws
treaties and deal with foreign countries
rules about trade between states and nations
print money
provide police and emergency services
decide units of measure
makes laws that are “necessary and proper”
rules about business inside a state
declare war
make and enforce laws
establish post office
borrow money
driver’s and marriage licenses
Conduct elections
Provide army and navy
run public schools
build roads
establish local gov’ts
collect taxes
Conduct elections
establish post office
run public schools
print money
make/enforce laws
provide police and emergency services
declare war
build roads
makes laws that are “necessary and proper”
driver’s and marriage licenses
collect taxes
establish courts
establish local gov’ts
spend money for general welfare
protect public health and safety
rules about business inside a state
copyright and patent laws
treaties and deal with foreign countries
use power Const. does not give federal gov’t or deny the states
borrow money
decide units of measure
rules about trade between states and nations

17. Delegated, Reserved, or Concurrent
coin money
marriage and divorce laws
conduct elections
establish postal offices
regulate intrastate trading
raise taxes
establish and maintain schools
establish foreign policy
administer criminal justice
create and maintain armed forces
provide for public welfare
declare war
establish local gov’ts
borrow money
create federal courts
admit new states

18. Federalism  Division of Powers
delegated (enumerated) powers of national gov’t:
regulate interstate and foreign trade
create and maintain armed forces
establish postal offices
establish foreign policy
create federal courts
coin money
declare war
admit new states

19. Federalism  Division of Powers
reserved powers of state gov’ts:
regulate intrastate (w/in the state) trading
establish and maintain schools
establish local gov’ts
make laws about marriage and divorce
conduct elections

20. Federalism  Division of Powers
concurrent (shared) powers:
provide for public welfare
administer criminal justice
raise taxes
borrow money

21. Electoral College
institution that selects the President and Vice Pres. of the United States every four years
framers of the US Constitution disagreed on how to elect a president
- Congressional selection
- direct popular election
The electoral college was a compromise
combining features of both approaches

23. Electoral College and Federalism
The electoral college also reflects the federal nature of the Constitution
- Ensures that the states have a role in selecting the president

24. State Electoral Votes
Each state is entitled to as many electoral votes as the sum of its representation
- U.S. House of Representatives
- U.S. House of Senate
New York: 27 House members plus 2 senators = 29 electoral votes
Total:
435 House members
100 senators
3 electors for the District of Columbia
= 538 electoral votes

25. Who are the Electors?
Individuals selected in each state to officially cast that state’s electoral votes.
Ohio selects 29 electors to cast the state’s 29 electoral votes.
Framers anticipated that electors would be state leaders who would exercise good judgment.
Today, party leaders select electors who are typically long-time party activists.
Electors almost always vote for their party’s candidates.

26. Political Science Module Developed by PQE
Delegate Votes Divided
Each state determines the manner of selection
All but two states use a winner-take-all delegates statewide election system
Nebraska
Maine
Everyone else
If Candidate A gets the most votes in a state, Candidate A gets the all of the delegates.
4/19/2018
Political Science Module Developed by PQE

27. Political Science Module Developed by PQE
Voters and Electors
Therefore,
A New Yorker who voted for Obama really voted for an elector pledged to cast the state’s electoral votes for Obama.
Remember:
In 2000, Bush won all of Florida’s 25 electoral votes because the final official vote tally showed him ahead of Gore by about 600 votes.
4/19/2018
Political Science Module Developed by PQE

28. Political Science Module Developed by PQE
The Real Election
In December of election year
The electors gather in their respective state capitols to cast ballots for president and vice president.
In January
Congress comes into session
They open the ballots received from each state
They announce the official outcome.
4/19/2018
Political Science Module Developed by PQE

29. What if no one receives a majority?
To win, a candidate needs a majority,
- 270 electoral votes.
If no candidate has a majority
- the House of Representatives selects the president from among the three presidential candidates with the most electoral votes.
If this happens, each state has one vote.
- Happened only once!
Congress chose John Quincy Adams over Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay.
The Senate selects the vice president from the top two vice-presidential candidates.
4/19/2018

30. Political Science Module Developed by PQE
Popular Vote v. the Electoral Vote
In a close race, the popular vote winner may not win the electoral college.
One candidate may win states by lopsided margins while the other wins states by narrow margins.
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
4/19/2018
Political Science Module Developed by PQE

31. Political Science Module Developed by PQE
Review Question
North Carolina has 13 U.S. representatives. How many electoral votes does the state have?
4/19/2018
Political Science Module Developed by PQE

32. Political Science Module Developed by PQE
Answer
13 U.S. representatives + 2 U.S. senators
15 electors
4/19/2018
Political Science Module Developed by PQE

33. Political Science Module Developed by PQE
Review Question
Who are electors?
4/19/2018
Political Science Module Developed by PQE

34. Political Science Module Developed by PQE
Answer
They are individuals selected in each state to officially cast that state’s electoral votes. Electors are typically long-time party activists who are selected by their state party organization as a reward for their loyalty to the party. In most states, electors are officially pledged to support their party’s presidential and vice presidential candidates.
4/19/2018
Political Science Module Developed by PQE

35. Political Science Module Developed by PQE
Review Question
Does it matter whether a candidate carries a state by a few votes or a lot of votes?
4/19/2018
Political Science Module Developed by PQE

36. Political Science Module Developed by PQE
Answer
No. A candidate receives all of a state’s electoral votes whether the candidate carries the state by one vote or a million votes. In every state except Nebraska and Maine, the race is winner take all.
4/19/2018
Political Science Module Developed by PQE

37. Political Science Module Developed by PQE
Review Question
What is the small state bias?
4/19/2018
Political Science Module Developed by PQE

38. Political Science Module Developed by PQE
Answer
The electoral college has a small state bias because every state gets at least three electoral votes regardless of its population. As a result, small states such as Alaska, Wyoming, and South Dakota enjoy a greater percentage of electoral votes than they would merit based strictly on population.
4/19/2018
Political Science Module Developed by PQE