1. Electoral College

2. O The American people don’t directly elect the President of the United States; instead we use the Electoral College System. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9H3gvnN468

3. Electoral College Math: O The number of electoral votes a state gets is equal to its number of Senators + its Representatives. O Alabama has… O 2 Senators O + 7 Representatives O = 9 Electoral Votes

4. How many total Electoral College votes are there? O 100 total Senators in the U.S. Senate O + 435 total Representatives in the House of Representatives O + 3 Washington DC’s votes O = 538 Total Electoral Votes

5. The Magic Number… O To become President, a candidate has to win the majority (half plus one), O 538/2= 269 O 269+1= 270 O So, the magic number needed to win is 270 !

6. Red States O Red States are states that generally vote for… O REPUBLICANS

7. Blue States O Blue States are states that generally vote for… O DEMOCRATS

8. Swing States O Swing States are also known as… O PURPLE states OR O Battleground states O They could vote either way in an election. Candidates generally spend most of their time and money in these states

9. Electoral College Popular Vote Absolute Majority Electors On Election Day, the American public elects candidates into government offices. The first set of results is the tally of the ______________, or count of all of the votes cast. The results in each state determine the support of the ____________that meet and participate in the ___________ _____________. In order to win the presidency, a candidate must have 270 out of a total of 538 electoral votes. This number is half of 538 (269) plus one, which is considered an __________ ___________. The Electoral College does not always match the popular vote! (Meaning it is possible to have more people vote for a candidate and that person not become president- This has happened 4 times (1824, 1876, 1888, and 2000). Something’s Missing! Fill in the Paragraph with the correct terms.

10. 2012 Presidential Election Results

11. Your Turn! O FLOCAB! http://www.flocabulary.com/presidential- election-process/ O Auburn/Alabama Electoral Vote! O Schoolhouse Rock Electoral College! O http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyIFqf3XH24 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyIFqf3XH24

12. Is this Fair? O Many people think the United States should get rid of the electoral college completely. They believe the winner-take-all system is not fair. O Can we think of a compromise for those who want to get rid of the electoral college and those who want the president and vice president to be elected by the popular vote. O What are some pros and cons of the electoral college? O What are some pros and cons of electing a president based on the popular vote? O Imagine you have been elected to the presidency and have the power to amend this portion of the constitution, which allows for the electoral college. Would you change the system? Why or why not?