1. INDIRECT ELECTION CITIZENS VOTE FOR ELECTORS NOT CANDIDATES
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE
INDIRECT ELECTION
CITIZENS VOTE FOR ELECTORS NOT CANDIDATES

2. WINNER TAKES ALL
CANDIDATE WITH THE MOST POPULAR VOTES IN A STATE WINS ALL THE ELECTORAL VOTES
100 SENATORS REPRESENTATIVES WASH D.C.
NEED 270 OF TOTAL 538 VOTES

3. FORMULA FOR ELECTORAL VOTES
STATE’S # OF ELECTORS =
# OF REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS/ total seats in Congress
VA HAS 13 ELECTORAL VOTES
11 REPS + 2 SENATORS
All states have 2 senators
Reps vary according to pop.

4. WHY WAS ELECTORAL SYSTEM ESTABLISHED?
ELECTORS ARE WELL-INFORMED PEOPLE
AVG. CITIZEN “WILL NEVER BE FULLY INFORMED”
EACH STATE DECIDES HOW ELECTORS ARE CHOSEN

5. WEAKNESSES OF ELECTORAL SYSTEM
NO GUARANTEE ELECTORS
WILL REALLY VOTE FOR CANDIDATE
CANDIDATE MAY WIN POP-ULAR VOTE BUT LOSE ELECTION

6. MORE ELECTORAL INFORMATION
CALIFORNIA
53 REPRESENTATIVES
2 SENATORS
TOTAL = 55 ELECTORAL VOTES
WYOMING
1 REPRESENTATIVE
TOTAL = 3 ELECTORAL VOTES