1. How the Government Works!

2. Executive Branch: Electoral College
Indirect election of president decided at Constitutional Convention
Electoral College is a system of presidential electors
The number of electoral votes is based on number of representatives in Congress
People in a state vote for candidate, the candidate with the majority is who the Electoral College is supposed to vote for
That candidate receives all of the electoral votes

3. Schoolhouse Rocks: Electoral College

4. 2008 Electoral College Map

5. The Electoral College
The number of electoral votes per state is determined according to the results of the most recent census

6. The Electoral College
The presidential candidate that receives more than half of the electoral votes wins the election
There are a total of 538 electoral votes
What is the minimum electoral votes must a presidential candidate receive in order to win the presidency? Look at the chart to figure it out.
Therefore, a presidential candidate must receive at least 270 electoral votes to win the presidency

7. 2 Electoral Votes # Senators + # Representatives in the House
How are the number of electoral votes per state determined? Here’s the formula:
# Senators
+ # Representatives in the House
= # electoral votes per state
Remember, how many Senators does every state have? 2

8. Example # Senators (2) + # Representatives in the House (1)
Wyoming has a small population, so it only has 1 Representative
# Senators (2)
+ # Representatives in the House (1)
= # electoral votes per state (3)

9. 2008 Electoral College Map
How many members of the House of Representatives do the following states have?
1) Washington 2) Kansas 3) New York 4) California

10. Sometimes There’s a Problem
Popular vote vs. Electoral vote

11. How Does that Happen? D
= 275 (270 needed)
A candidate can win many small (population) states, but ultimately without the big states electoral votes, can lose the election
What is the fewest amount of states a pres. Candidate would need in order to win?
A candidate can win an election by just winning 12 states: CA (54), NY (33), TX (32), FL (25), PA (23), IL (22), OH (21), MI (10), NJ (15), NC (14), GA (13), VA (13)

12. Executive Branch: Executive Orders
A power of the president is called Executive Orders
Legally binding orders that the president has the authority to give
14,000 executive orders since 1789
Only two in history have been turned over by the courts (Truman and Clinton)

13. I’m Just a Bill

14. Legislative Branch: Creating a Bill
A bill is introduced when a member of Congress creates one
Before a bill can become a law, both houses (House of Representatives and Senate) have to pass identical versions of the bill
Introduction in either Senate or House of Representatives
1. Bill is assigned a committee for review
Set aside if found not worthy
2. If worthy, sent to entire house to debate
3. If bill passes, sent to other house
4. Joint (two-houses) committee reviews bill
5. Voted on by second house
6. If passes, sent to president
7. If president approves, signs it into law
If president doesn’t, vetoes it
Most of the time, bills die after veto, but the Congress can override the veto with 2/3 majority

15. The Judicial Branch The court system:
Everyone is entitled to a defense
You first go to courts within the original jurisdiction (geographical area) of the crime
If you have a problem with the outcome of the trial, it may go a court of appeals
Decides appeals from district courts
Appeals may go all of the way up to Supreme Court, the last place, though it can dismiss the case

16. Example: State Court Systems

17. Supreme Court
1) There are cases in which the US Supreme Court has original jurisdiction (heard there first). Cases in which a state is a party and cases dealing with diplomatic personnel, like ambassadors, are the two examples
2) Those cases appealed from lower federal courts can be heard at the Supreme Court
3) The US Supreme Court reviews appeals from state supreme courts that present substantial "federal questions," usually where a constitutional right has been denied in the state courts