1. The Electoral College of the United States Emily Halstead and Ana Pettit

2. The Constitutional Convention The men of the Constitutional Convention feared a government of corruption and abuse of power. A popular election, however, would have been inefficient and illogical.

3. They eventually agreed that having a system of electors would thus ensure that those who decided upon the nation’s leader had plenty of distance and between them. Similarly, outside groups could not corrupt the electors by serving any single, similar interest.

4. Each state would be allowed a number of electors equal to the number of its Senators and members of the House of Representatives.Each state would be allowed a number of electors equal to the number of its Senators and members of the House of Representatives. Electors were to meet in their own state capitols and cast two votes apiece.Electors were to meet in their own state capitols and cast two votes apiece. Votes would then be sent to the President of the Senate to open in the presence of the Senate and House.Votes would then be sent to the President of the Senate to open in the presence of the Senate and House. The Original Electoral College

5. The candidate receiving the majority of votes would win presidency, and the runner-up was to become Vice President.The candidate receiving the majority of votes would win presidency, and the runner-up was to become Vice President. Should a candidate fail to obtain a majority of electoral votes, then one House representative from each state would be allowed to cast a single vote in order to determine the champion.Should a candidate fail to obtain a majority of electoral votes, then one House representative from each state would be allowed to cast a single vote in order to determine the champion.

6. The original structure of the Electoral College lasted through four election cycles.The original structure of the Electoral College lasted through four election cycles. –The Election of 1800 had been decided by the House of Representatives after a tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr. The Twelfth Amendment was adopted in 1804.The Twelfth Amendment was adopted in 1804. The Early Days

7. Choosing Electors An elector may potentially be any person who is not a member of Congress or holding offices of “trust or profit”.An elector may potentially be any person who is not a member of Congress or holding offices of “trust or profit”.

8. Certain Specifics Since 1845 all presidential elections have taken place on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. In any given presidential election there are 538 available electoral votes: # is based on the number of representatives and Senators each state has plus Washington, D.C. *435 +100+3=538

9. A candidate must win 270 electoral votes to become President A candidate must win 270 electoral votes to become President Today, all but two states have a winner-take-all system. (Nebraska and Maine) Today, all but two states have a winner-take-all system. (Nebraska and Maine) Presidential Election Interactive Map and History of the Electoral College Presidential Election Interactive Map and History of the Electoral College Presidential Election Interactive Map and History of the Electoral College Presidential Election Interactive Map and History of the Electoral College

10. StateRepublicanDemocrats Georgia Texas California Missouri New York Wyoming 538 All 50 states + Washington, D.C. How the Winner-takes-All works---

11. Arguments Against the Electoral College A candidate who does not win the majority of popular vote nationally could potentially be elected president. A candidate who does not win the majority of popular vote nationally could potentially be elected president. The plurality-based winner-take-all system makes it virtually impossible for a third party candidate to obtain electoral votes. The plurality-based winner-take-all system makes it virtually impossible for a third party candidate to obtain electoral votes. Since 1796 nine elections have experienced “faithless electors”. Since 1796 nine elections have experienced “faithless electors”.

12. Support of the Electoral College It usually produces a clear winner – only 2 elections decided in House of Representatives. It maintains the federal system and requires that the president have distribution of popular support. It supports the two-party system.

13. PROPOSED PLANS FOR REVISION 1.Direct Popular Election: (most people support) 2.Proportional Method: Divide the electoral votes of a state in direct proportion to the popular vote in the state. Example: State A has 10 electoral votes Candidate A receives 60% of popular vote= 6 electoral votes

14. Revisions, cont. 3. District Method: 1 elector from each of the nation’s 435 congressional districts with 2 at-large electors. People of each district would choose their electors, and they would cast their vote in accordance with the popular vote of their district. The candidate who wins the state’s total popular votes wins the 2 at-large electoral votes.

15. Final Revision 4. Automatic Plan: Each state’s electoral votes would be preserved, but the electors themselves would be abolished. The electoral vote of each state would be cast automatically for the winner of a plurality in the state. Eliminate “faithless electors”