Summative: Participating in Electoral and Political Processes

Although 8th-grade students are too young to vote for our state and national leaders, explain how you can still participate in the political process. Be sure to support your answer with specific examples and explanations.

Do you feel we should keep the electoral college or (abolish) get rid of the electoral college. Support your answer with details.

Why do some states have more electors than others?

• Some state have more Senators because they are larger in area than other states, and that gives them more electors.
• Some states have more members in the House of Reps because they have larger populations, so they have more electors.
• With 8.2 million people, New York has the most people therefore they have the most electors.
• The number of electors is decided by state legislatures (law making bodies).

How many electoral votes does Wyoming have?

• 3
• 2
• 1
• 21

What is the total number of electoral votes?

• 435
• 100
• 50
• 538

How do states get the number of votes allowed?

• Each state gets the same number of votes
• Each state adds up the number of counties plus governors
• Each state adds up the number of senators plus house of representative members
• the Supreme Court approves those numbers for each state

How many votes must a presidential nominee have to win to be elected?

• 538
• 435
• 270
• 100

What would have to happen to break a tie of 269-269?

• The Executive branch would break the tie
• The Supreme Court would break the tie
• Congress would break the tie
• The governors would break the tie

Popular Vote

• the total number of votes cast in an election; winner is determined by simple majority
• a vote cast by a member of the electoral college
• a vote based on proportions of various groups in a populations

The executive branch of government

• enforces and executes the law
• makes the laws
• interprets the laws