1. American Government and Organization PS1301 Monday, 2 February

2. The Republican Primary in 2000

3. Democratic Delegates The Democratic Party allots a number of delegates to each state based on population (as measured by electoral college votes) and the number of votes the Democratic presidential candidate received in the last general election. The party assigns states additional delegate slots, called "Superdelegates," for Democratic elected officials, party leaders and Democratic members of Congress. Superdelegates are included in the totals Delegates needed to win: 2,162 Total Delegates: 4,322

4. Delegate Selection Rules

5. Electoral Rules Plurality vs. Majority The Electoral College

6. Electing the President Congress chooses the president State legislatures choose the president President elected by popular vote Electoral College

7. How it works Each state was allocated a number of Electors equal to the number of U.S. Senators (always 2) plus the number of U.S. Representatives (which changes) The manner of choosing the electors was left to the individual state legislators. By 1836 all states (except for South Carolina) choose electors by popular vote (plurality rules). The person with a majority of electoral votes is elected president In the event that no candidate wins a majority, the U.S. House of Representatives would choose from the top five contenders. Each state could cast only one vote. An absolute majority is required

8. Historical Curiosities 1800 Electors gave both Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr an equal number of votes. The tie was settled by the U.S. House. Prompted the 12 th Amendment which requires separate vote for president and vice president (rather than two votes for president with the runner up as the vice president) 1824. No candidate receives a majority. House decides John Quincy Adams despite the fact that Andrew Jackson had obtained more electoral votes. 1888 Benjamin Harrison defeats Grover Cleveland who received more votes

9. Past Elections Link to maps of electoral college results (1960-1996) maps of electoral college resultsmaps of electoral college results

10. 2000 Presidential Election

11. The Florida Disaster Florida recount (link to Univ. of Chicago study) link to Univ. of Chicago studylink to Univ. of Chicago study The punch card voting system Design of the palm beach ballot

12. The Butterfly Ballot

13. Evidence of problems in Palm Beach

14. Reforming the Electoral College Winner take all (by Congressional District) Proportional Allocation of Electors by State

15. Outcomes with Different Methods

16. Direct Election of the President Runoff Elections Alternative Vote/Preference Voting

17. Preference Voting System is used to elect that nation’s House of Representatives from single member districts. Voters rank their first most preferred candidate by marking a “1” their second most favored candidate with a “2” etc… Candidate with the fewest first choices is eliminated and the ballots for those people who voted for him are examined to see whom they placed second.

18. Example Candidate A Candidate B Candidate C First round 414315 Second round 56 (41+15) 43eliminated

19. What would the outcome have been with Preference Voting