1. The People Who REALLY Elect the POTUS
The Electoral College
The People Who REALLY Elect the POTUS

2. Framers questioned whether UNINFORMED CITIZENS would select an adequate leader for the nation.
If the people chose the “wrong” president, the Electoral College could OVERRIDE the vote. – The Electoral College would be made up of INFORMED CITIZENS as a failsafe.
Framers feared that citizens would only vote for candidates from their own STATE.
Why Do We Have It?

3. The Constitution Says…
Article II Section I: Electoral College
538 people called ELECTORS responsible for electing the POTUS and VPOTUS.
This is calculated by the number of members in the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES (435) + the number of members in THE SENATE (100) + 3 for Washington DC (23rd Amendment).
The Constitution Says…

4. The Number of Representatives in the House is determined by POPULATION
Number of Senators each state has is TWO
Electors = # of Reps + # of Senators
In Ohio we have…
Number of House Reps =
Number of Senators =
Number of Electors =
Ohio 16 2 18

5. The Process -Step 1 – Popular Vote
On Election Day, voters choose who they want to be President and Vice President.
What we’re ACTUALLY choosing, are the ELECTORS who represent the political party of the candidate we like.
These electors are then supposed to vote for the candidate that wins the popular vote in a given state.

6. The Process -Step 2 – Winner Takes All
The Candidate who wins the POPULAR VOTE within a state, wins ALL of the electoral votes for that state.
48 States have winner takes all systems.
Two States do not follow this model – Nebraska and Maine have proportional systems – Each candidate gets some votes.
Majority Rules
Candidate who wins the MAJORITY of votes wins the election
A candidate needs 270 Votes to win
The Process -Step 2 – Winner Takes All

7. The Process -Step 3 – Meeting of Electors -Step 4 -
Electors meet in each state capitol to cast votes for the candidate they REPRESENT – Monday after the 2nd Wednesday in December.
Those votes are then sent to the PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE in Washington DC.
The president of the Senate counts the votes on January 6th before a JOINT SESSION of Congress.
If there is a tie, the election will be decided by the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. – The Election of 1800
The Process -Step 3 – Meeting of Electors -Step 4 -

8. Flaws of the Electoral College
1. The person who does NOT win the POPULAR VOTE can be elected President.
Flaws of the Electoral College
Jackson/Adams Cleveland/Hayes
Hayes/Tilden Bush/Gore
5.5M M
41.3% %
47.87% %
4.0M M

9. 2000 Presidential Election Al Gore vs George W. Bush
Electoral Vote
Popular Vote ,999, ,456,002
Percentage % %

10. Flaws of the Electoral College
#2: Electors Don’t Have to Vote like the Voters Want Them To.
Flaws of the Electoral College
Electors have refused to vote for their party’s nominee
1796
1820
1948
1956
1960
1968
1972
1976
1988
2000
2004 an elector from MN voted for John Edwards (twice, Pres & VP)