The Electoral The Electoral CollegeCollege

True or False?True or False?

In a presidential In a presidential election, the candidate election, the candidate with the most votes is with the most votes is elected president.elected president.

Answer: Answer: Not Not necessarinecessarily. Ask Al ly. Ask Al GoreGore

The 2000 ElectionThe 2000 ElectionThe Popular VoteThe Popular Vote

Al GoreAl Gore50,996,03950,996,039George W. Bush George W. Bush 50,456,14150,456,141

The Electoral VoteThe Electoral Vote

George W. BushGeorge W. Bush 271271Al GoreAl Gore 267267

Historical BackgroundHistorical Background

The framers of the Constitution The framers of the Constitution disagreed on how to elect a disagreed on how to elect a president—congressional president—congressional selection or direct popular selection or direct popular election.election.

The electoral college was a The electoral college was a compromise, combining features compromise, combining features of both approachesof both approaches

How Does It Work?How Does It Work?Each state is entitled to as many electoral votes as Each state is entitled to as many electoral votes as

the sum of its representation in the U.S. House and the sum of its representation in the U.S. House and SenateSenate

Texas: 32 House members plus 2 senators = Texas: 32 House members plus 2 senators = 34 electoral votes34 electoral votes

Pennsylvania: 19 House members plus 2 senators=Pennsylvania: 19 House members plus 2 senators= 21 electoral votes21 electoral votes

Total:Total: 435 House members plus 100 senators plus 3 435 House members plus 100 senators plus 3 electors for the District of Columbia = 538 electoral electors for the District of Columbia = 538 electoral votesvotes

Electors Electors Individuals selected in each state to Individuals selected in each state to

officially cast that state’s electoral officially cast that state’s electoral votes.votes.

Framers anticipated that electors Framers anticipated that electors would be state leaders who would would be state leaders who would exercise good judgment.exercise good judgment.

Today, party leaders select Today, party leaders select competing slates of electors who are competing slates of electors who are typically long-time party activists.typically long-time party activists.

Electors almost always vote for their Electors almost always vote for their party’s candidates.party’s candidates.

Selection of ElectorsSelection of Electors

Each state determines the manner of Each state determines the manner of selectionselection

All but two states use a winner-take-All but two states use a winner-take-all statewide election systemall statewide election system

If Candidate A gets the most votes in If Candidate A gets the most votes in a state, Candidate A gets the whole a state, Candidate A gets the whole slate of electors.slate of electors.

Voters and Voters and ElectorsElectors

A Texan who votes for Obama is A Texan who votes for Obama is really voting for a slate of electors really voting for a slate of electors pledged to cast the state’s pledged to cast the state’s electoral votes for Obama. electoral votes for Obama.

In 2000, Bush won all of Florida’s In 2000, Bush won all of Florida’s 25 electoral votes because the final 25 electoral votes because the final official vote tally showed him official vote tally showed him ahead of Gore by about 600 votes.ahead of Gore by about 600 votes.

The Real ElectionThe Real Election

In December, the electors gather In December, the electors gather in their respective state capitols in their respective state capitols to cast ballots for president and to cast ballots for president and vice president. In January, vice president. In January, Congress convenes, opens the Congress convenes, opens the ballots received from each state, ballots received from each state, and announces the official and announces the official outcomeoutcome..

What if no one candidate What if no one candidate receives a majority?receives a majority?

To win, a candidate needs a majority, that is, 270 electoral votes.To win, a candidate needs a majority, that is, 270 electoral votes.

If no candidate has a majority, the House selects the president from among the three presidential candidates with the most electoral votes. If no candidate has a majority, the House selects the president from among the three presidential candidates with the most electoral votes.

This last happened in 1824 when Congress chose John Quincy Adams.This last happened in 1824 when Congress chose John Quincy Adams.

Popular Vote v. the Popular Vote v. the Electoral VoteElectoral Vote

In a close race, the popular vote winner may not win the electoral college.

Electoral vote winners who lost the popular Electoral vote winners who lost the popular vote:vote:

Bush over Gore in 2000 Bush over Gore in 2000

Benjamin Harrison over Grover Cleveland in 1888Benjamin Harrison over Grover Cleveland in 1888

Rutherford B. Hayes over Samuel Tilden in 1876Rutherford B. Hayes over Samuel Tilden in 1876

How does this affect How does this affect elections?elections?

For a candidate to become president, For a candidate to become president, he or she must win enough states to he or she must win enough states to garner a majority of electoral votes. garner a majority of electoral votes.

Presidential campaigns, therefore, Presidential campaigns, therefore, focus on winning states, not on focus on winning states, not on winning a national majority. winning a national majority.