TheElectoral College

What is the Electoral College?

• The Electoral College consists of 538 popularly elected representatives who formally select the President and Vice President of the United States

How does the Electoral College

Work?• On Election Day, people in the

states vote for the President• This is called the Popular Vote• The candidate that receives the

most popular votes in a state receives all of that state’s Electoral Votes

How many Electoral Votes does a state

have?

How many Electoral Votes does a candidate need to

win?

Positive intentions of the

Electoral College• Because of little education and

media communication in the 1700s, the Electoral College was established

• The Founding Fathers were fearful that an uneducated majority of people would choose leaders poorly

• The Electoral College is an example of Indirect Election

Cons to the Electoral College

• Certain states get all of the attention of the candidates because they may help the candidates achieve 270 votes

• People do not actually vote for the President; this is called Indirect Election

• A candidate can become President without winning the most Popular Votes

1824, 1876, 1888, 2000