1. CHAPTER 10, SECTION 2 ELECTIONS MR. COLLINS AND MRS. KOZLIK
CIVICS (CE.5f)

2. When and What for?
General elections are on the 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November
Presidents are elected every 4 years
House of Representatives every 2 years
Senate- elections are every 6 years
We vote for President, House, and Senate on even-numbered years

3. Election of President and Vice President
A slate of electors (pledged to each candidate) for each state is chosen by popular vote
Whichever political party’s candidate wins the state’s popular vote, that party’s electors will meet about a month after the general election and cast all their votes for their candidate.

4. Electoral College (continued)
If the candidate wins the state’s popular vote, he gets all the state’s electoral votes. The electoral college is called the: “winner-take-all system”

5. Electoral college (continued)
The number of electoral votes a state has depends on its representation in Congress:
For example: Michigan has 16 representatives and 2 senators; thus Michigan has 18 electoral votes
Candidates want to win states with larger representation

6. Electoral college (continued)
Small states are very important in electoral votes when the race is real close
There are 538 total electoral votes; first candidate to get 270 wins!

7. Electoral college (continued)
The requirements for a majority vote to win in the electoral college favors a two-party system
Many feel the electoral college gives the big states (Texas & California) too much influence
If neither candidate wins a majority of electoral votes, the House of Reps. Elects the President