Electoral College

The Electoral College

How it works, why we use it, and controversies surrounding it

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In the United States, the President is not elected based on the ​

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, but is elected based on how many​ ​

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they can win. This process is called the​

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.

Electoral College Recap:

• Candidates try to win enough states to earn 270 electoral votes

• Electoral votes are based on states' population

• Candidates focus their efforts on swing states (Michigan/Pennsylvania) rather than safe states (Texas/California)

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To win the presidency, a candidate has to earn ​

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electoral votes.



The number of electoral votes a state has is based on the state's​ ​

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.



Presidential candidates like to focus on ​

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states because their votes are close every election.

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270

population

swing

300

538

congress

safe

big

governor

• Two issues: founders didn't think citizens were informed enough to pick an executive AND they were wary of small, elite factions picking the president

• The original plan was to let Congress vote on the president, but that plan faced backlash from many Americans

• The Electoral College was formed to satisfy both groups

Why the Electoral College was formed:

• If neither candidate gets to 270 electoral votes, then the House of Representatives will vote on the candidates.

• Each state's reps will get together and vote on who they want, then each state submits a vote on the House floor

• Whichever candidate gets a simple majority (26 votes) becomes president

​What if there is a tie?

• These states don't have a winner-take-all system, they use a congressional district system

  
  
  
  
  

  
  

• 5 EV votes: Dem gets 1, Rep gets 2 plus 2 more for winning the statewide vote
  
  
  
  
  

​Nebraska & Maine

Fun Facts!

Open Ended

Choose one of these three options (Electoral College, Congressional District System (like Nebraska), or the National Popular Vote) and explain why you think it should be the way we elect our president.