2. A Method of Indirect Election
The Electoral College
A Method of Indirect Election

5. Straight Ticket
Unified Government
Split Ticket
Divided Government

14. The Electoral College and Federalism
The electoral college reflects the federal nature of the Constitution because it ensures that the states have a role in selecting the president.

15. State Electoral Votes
Each state is entitled to as many electoral votes as the sum of its representation in the U.S. House and Senate
Ohio: 16 House members plus 2 Senators = 18 Electoral Votes (2012)
Total: 435 House members plus 100 Senators (plus 3 electors from the District of Columbia) = 538 electoral votes

16. Selection of Electors
All but two states use a Winner-Take-All statewide election system
The candidate that gets the most votes (plurality) in a state, gets the whole slate of electoral votes.
Maine and Nebraska award electors based on the statewide vote and the vote in each of the state’s congressional districts.

17. In each state, each party selects a slate of electors, hoping that they will be activated by voters in the general election.
18 Electors
18 Electors

18. Winner-Take-All
18 Electors
18 Electors

19. Voters and Electors
An Ohioan who votes for Obama is really voting for a slate of electors pledged to cast the state’s electoral votes for Obama.
In 2000, Bush won all of Florida’s 25 electoral votes because the final official vote tally showed him ahead of Gore by 537 votes.

20. The 2000 Election The Popular Vote Al Gore 50,996,039
George W. Bush 50,456,141
The Electoral Vote
George W. Bush 271
Al Gore

21. 2000

23. Key Events
General Election is held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
On the Monday after the second Wednesday in December, the electors gather in their respective state capitols to cast ballots for president and vice president.
On January 6, a joint session of Congress convenes, and the President of the Senate counts the ballots received from each state, and announces the official outcome.
January Noon- Inauguration

26. What if no one receives a majority?
To win, a candidate needs a majority, that is, 270 electoral votes.
If no candidate has a majority, the House selects the president. Each state delegation has one vote.
This last happened in 1824 when Congress chose John Quincy Adams over Andrew Jackson and William Crawford. It also happened in 1800.
The Senate selects the vice president from the top two vice-presidential candidates.

27. The Popular Vote versus the Electoral Vote
In a close race, the popular vote winner may not win the electoral college. Electoral vote winners who lost the popular vote
Bush over Gore in 2000
Benjamin Harrison over Grover Cleveland in 1888
Rutherford B. Hayes over Samuel Tilden in 1876
John Quincy Adams over Andrew Jackson in 1824.

28. Criticisms of the Electoral College
The popular vote winner may lose the presidency. (4x)
Winner-Take-All (undemocratic?)
Electors may vote for persons other than their party’s presidential and vice presidential candidates. (Faithless Elector)
If no candidate receives a majority, Congress will pick the president and vice president.

29. Electoral Results

30. 1952

31. 1956

32. 1960

33. 1964

34. 1968

35. 1972

36. 1976

37. 1980

38. 1984

39. 1988

40. 1992

41. 1996

42. 2000

43. 2004

44. 2008

45. 2012

47. Proposals for Reform
Eliminate electors but still count electoral votes.
Select electors based on the proportion of the vote each candidate gets in each state.
Choose the president by direct popular election.

48. The 1960
World Series
And
The Electoral College

52. In 1960, the Yankees outscored the Pittsburgh Pirates, 55 to 27, and out-hit them, .338 to They set records for runs scored, hits, batting average, slugging percentage, total bases, and RBI.

54. Yet the Pirates won the World Series on a home run in the ninth inning of the seventh game. That home run came not from Pirate legend Roberto Clemente but from their second baseman, Bill Mazeroski.

56. 1960 World Series Games 1 6 4 2 3 16 3 10 4 3 2 5 2 6 12 7 10 9 Runs10 4 3 2 5 2 6 12 7 10 9
Runs 27 55
G’s 4 3
Pirates
Yankees

57. A very strange series indeed, as all three Yankee victories were major blowouts, while the Pirates got good pitching and defense in three of their four wins.

58. Task: Explain why the 1960 World Series outcome can be used to make an argument for or against the Electoral College.

59. 2012

60. Task: What are the fewest number of states a candidate could win and become the President of the United States?

63. NFL Team Total Offense Statistics 2011
Team Points/Game
Green Bay 35
New Orleans 34.2
New England 32.1
Detroit
San Diego 25.4
30. Cleveland 13.6