1. The Electoral College

2. 2016 Electoral College Results
Why do we use the Electoral College system to select our President? Benefits?
2016 Electoral College Results

3. The Electoral College
The Electors are made up of a state’s combined total Representatives and Senators
There are 538 total Electoral Votes (Washington D.C. receives three votes).
Winner Takes All Policy-The candidate that wins the state, wins all the electoral votes (except Nebraska and Maine).
It takes a majority of electoral votes (270) to become President.
If no candidate wins 270 it goes to the House of Representatives who then chooses from the top three candidates.
Electors do not technically have to vote the way their state did, but they always have.
12th Amendment calls for the election of the President and VP as a team.

4. Trump and Rubio: 2016 Rubio Trump
Donald Trump and Florida Senator Marco Rubio have been selected as the Republican candidate for President (Trump) and VP (Rubio) in 2016.
The RNC Convention ran from July 18th-21st, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio.
That gives the Trump/Rubio team 125 days to campaign till election day.
You team is responsible for creating the campaign itinerary.
List states (10) you will visit, duration of stay and campaign issues you focus on in each state. Use the platform issues from yesterday’s assignment.
Rubio
Trump

5. 2004 and 2008 Results 2004: Republican victory
2008: Democratic victory

6. Electoral College: Problems and Solutions
One man One vote
Winner-take-all: Not representative of popular vote.
Popular vote winner could lose the election (Bush 2000)
Electors can vote as they wish.
If no candidate get 270 votes, the House decides. Each state gets one vote. Big States = Small States
270 to Win

7. Electoral College Solutions Most would require a Constitutional amendment
2012 Results
Abolish it and use popular vote.
Congressional District Plan – win the congressional district get the vote, 2 at-large per state to represent Senate seats.
Maine and Nebraska already use this.
The Proportional Plan – divide electoral vote according to popular vote %.
Law requiring electors to vote with their states – several states have passed these, may be unconstitutional
Keep the college, abolish the electors.

8. So why is change so unlikely?