Review + Electoral College

Multiple Choice

Together, the House of Representatives and the Senate is called the...

• US Congress

• President

• Supreme Court

• Cabinet

Multiple Choice

Congress is a ________ legislature that provides checks and balances during the ___________ process.

• unicameral

  lawmaking

• bicameral

  lawmaking

• judicial branch

  lawmaking

• executive branch

  lawmaking

Multiple Choice

The President can provide a check on the power of Congress by...

• overriding a veto

• vetoing a bill

• declaring a law unconstitutional

• enforcing a law

Open Ended

List 3 jobs / roles of the president.

Multiple Choice

Drawing the boundaries of electoral districts in a way that gives one group or political party an advantage over its rivals.

• Census

• Redistricting

• Gerrymandering

• Apportionment

Multiple Choice

Political Party A consistently wins the seat in a congressional district with 75-80% of the vote. Then one year, Political Party B wins the seat with 70% of the vote. What may have happened?

• Gerrymandering

• Polling

• Fillibuster

Multiple Choice

Congress can override a presidential veto with a ______ vote in ______ houses.

• 3/4

  two

• 2/3

  both

• majority

  both

Multiple Choice

The President can appoint Supreme Court Justices and Federal Judges IF they get confirmation from the __________.

• Judicial

• Cabinet

• House

• Senate

Multiple Choice

"Advice and Consent " is the Senate's power to confirm the President's nomination for judges, ambassadors, cabinet secretaries, etc.

• True

• False

​Watch "The Electoral College, Explained" by Vox on YouTube

Multiple Choice

If a presidential candidate wins the popular vote in Massachusetts, he/she gets all of the state's electoral college votes.

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

A swing state is a state that:

• does not always vote for the same party

• a state with the most electoral votes

• a state with the least electoral votes

• a state that does not electoral votes

Multiple Choice

Candidates spend the most time campaigning and money advertising in

• Red (Republican) states

• Blue (Democrat) states

• Swing states

Multiple Choice

This is the group of people who select the President:

• American people

• Illuminati

• Electoral College

Multiple Choice

You have to win the popular vote to win the presidential election.

• true

• false

How was it created?

When the Founders decided to write the Constitution, “electing” an executive was relatively new and revolutionary. All their executives up until this point had been kings and queens born into the position.

​

On top of that, some of the Founders didn’t trust that everyday citizens were informed and experienced enough to pick someone for a job as important as president.

​

Subject | Subject

Compromise: The Electoral College

The Founders considered having Congress select the president. But eventually, they landed on a compromise.

​

Instead of Congress deciding or the people electing the president directly, the Electoral College was formed.

​

​The Presidential election is an indirect election.

Multiple Choice

Why did the founding fathers decide to use the Electoral College system, and not just allow the popular vote to decide?

• Wanted to cater to the wealthy
• Thought common people were uninformed
• Easier to count the votes
• George Washington wanted it that way

Multiple Choice

The Presidential Election is a _______________ election.

• Direct

• Indirect

• Complex

Multiple Choice

How does the census connect to the electoral college?

• In years that the census occurs, the electoral college meets.

• They were both created by the Founding Fathers.

• If a state's population goes up or down a lot once the census is taken, it will change the state's number of electoral votes.

Multiple Choice

Pennsylvania had 23 electoral votes in 2000. This year they only have 20.  What does this tell us about Pennsylvania?

• PA has more influence than California
• PA now has 3 fewer senators than in 2000
• Population has decreased since 2000
• Population has increased since 2000

Fill in the Blank

How many electoral college votes does Arizona have?

Now lets talk about how to elect a president.

How Many Votes Does Each State Get?

There are 538 total electoral votes. To win the presidential election, a candidate must receive at least 270 of them.

​

The number of electoral votes that each state has is the sum of its number of senators (two) and its number of representatives (determined by the state’s population) in Congress.

​

The 23rd Amendment gives Washington, D.C. three electoral votes.

Multiple Choice

How many total electoral votes are there?

• 435
• 100
• 535
• 538

Multiple Choice

How many electoral college votes are needed to win a presidential election?

• 11

• 270

• 338

• 538

Multiple Choice

How many electoral votes are needed to win a US Presidential Election?

• 538

• 150

• 200

• 270

Multiple Choice

How is Congress connected to the Electoral College?

• the total number of people in Congress makes up most of the 538 Electoral College votes

• Congress is who selects the electors.

• Congress created the Electoral College.

Multiple Choice

How does the Senate relate to the Electoral College?

• Senators have to pass a test on the Electoral College in order to become a Senator.

• The Senate decides the winner if there's a tie in the Electoral College.

• two of a state's electoral college votes are because each state has two Senators

Multiple Choice

How does the House of Representatives relate to the Electoral College?

• Representatives have to pass a test on the Electoral College to hold office as a representative.

• the number of reps a state has is part of the state's total electoral college votes

• Both groups meet in the same room at the U.S. Capitol.

Multiple Choice

What is the fewest number of electors that a state can have?

• 5
• 1
• 3
• 11

Multiple Choice

What are the people called who formally select the president and vice president?

• Democrats
• Republicans
• The people
• Electors

How do Electors vote?

Electors usually cast votes for who won the popular vote in their state.

​

BUT, there’s no national law or constitutional clause requiring an elector to vote for who the people chose (but some state laws and political party procedures do require it).

​

If an elector ignores the popular vote, they are called a faithless elector. (In the past, 99% of electors have voted with their state’s popular vote.)

Multiple Choice

Do electors always HAVE to vote for the candidate that won their state's popular vote?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Select

Some people support the electoral college because (pick two)

• It's what the Founding Fathers created.

• It's a straightforward way to select a president.

• It's popular because it's used in a lot of other countries.

• It makes sure no part of the country is ignored.

Multiple Select

Some people don't support the electoral college because (pick two)

• It can ignore the opinion of the people.

• It seems outdated since it was created in 1787.

• Only 5 other countries in the world use it.

• It's too confusing because you'd think it was a real college.