1. QUIZ
1. This is a group of representatives of each state who cast the final ballot that actually elects the president.
2. How many votes does each elector cast for President under the original Constitution?
3. Which of the following was there NOT a problem with our current system?
1800
1824
1862
1888
4. __________________ is the reallocation of the number of seats in the House of Representatives after each decennial census.

2. Taken from: A More Perfect Constitution. by, Larry Sabato
“The framers wanted the Electoral College to serve as a reliable gatekeeper, a richly endowed ‘nominating committee’ that would send the top vote-getters to the U.S. House for a final choice, without any reliance on the will of the general public. George Mason. . . ‘conceived it would be as unnatural to refer the choice of a proper character for chief Magistrate to the people, as it would, to refer a trial of colours to a blind man. The extent of the Country renders it impossible that the people can have the requisite capacity to judge.’”
Taken from: A More Perfect Constitution. by, Larry Sabato

4. Electoral College: Original Constitution
Number of electors= senators and representatives
MD: 8 Rep. + 2 Sen.= 10 E.V.
States determine how electors are chosen.
Each elector casts 2 votes.
If a candidate gets a majority, he wins.
VP is candidate with 2nd most votes.
If no one gets majority, House decides.

5. The Electoral College (Taken from Maryland State Board of Elections Website)
As established by Federal Law, on the first Monday after the second Wednesday of December after a Presidential General Election, each State's Electors will meet in their respective State capitals and cast their electoral votes.
The electoral votes are sealed and transmitted from each State to the President of the Senate who, on a designated date, opens and reads them before both houses of Congress.

6. Qualification and selection method
No Senator or Representative, or person holding an office of trust or profit under the United States, shall be appointed as an elector. (Article II, U.S. Constitution) There are no specific rules for the method of selecting electors. However, some political parties select one person residing in each of the 8 congressional districts and 2 at- large.

7. Romney v. Obama

8. Gingrich v. Obama

9. Romney Gingrich

10. Election of 1800 Problem: Tie for President House chose Jefferson
Jefferson and Burr: 73 votes each
House chose Jefferson
12th Amendment (1804)
Each elector casts a separate ballot for president and vice-president.

11. Election of 1824 1. Win Popular Vote. Lose Election. Candidate
Electoral Vote
House Vote
John Q Adams
31% 84 13
Andrew Jackson
42% 99 7
William Crawford
11% 41 4
Henry Clay
13% 37
---

12. Election of 2000 Candidate Electoral Vote Popular Vote Al Gore 266
50,996,116
George Bush
271
50,456,169

13. 2. Over/Under Representation
State
Electors
% of Electors
Populat-ion
% of Pop.
California 55
10.22%
33,930,000
12.03%
Texas 34
6.32%
20,903,994
7.41%
New York 31
5.76%
19,004,973
6.74%
Maryland 10
1.86%
5,307,886
1.88%
Alaska 3
0.56%
628,933
0.22%
Vermont
609,890
0.20%
Wyoming
495,304
o.18%

14. 3. Winner-Takes-All (Florida, 2000)
Vote Count
Bush: 2,912,790
Gore: 2,912,353
25 Electoral Votes

15. 4. Faithless Electors

16. Election of 2000 Candidate Electoral Vote Popular Vote Al Gore 266
50,996,116
George Bush
271
50,456,169

17. Possible Alternatives……?

18. District Vote Plan: Nebraska and Maine
Dist. McCain Obama
1st 148, ,468
2nd 135, ,752
3rd 169, ,099
Total 452, ,379

19. Maryland: 2008 (Red=Dem: Blue=Repub)3 2

20. Maryland: 2004/2008 (Red=Dem: Blue=Repub)

27. Why do 3rd Party Candidates Run?
THIRD PARTY CONTRIBUTIONS
New or different ideas
Vote of the fringe
Discontent with major parties
Pushes major parties to address unprecedented idea

28. Perot Commercials 14 minute mark