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Getting to be President. So you want to be President! How do you Win!. Electoral College. NOPE—not a school- but a group The President of the US is not selected exclusively from the Popular vote-
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Getting to be President So you want to be President! How do you Win!
Electoral College • NOPE—not a school- but a group • The President of the US is not selected exclusively from the Popular vote- • In other words you could win a huge majority of the vote of all the people and still not become President • It’s the vote in the electoral college that counts • George Washington was not elected by the People
So who is the electoral college and how many are there • Each State has a set number of electoral college members • The number of electors is determined by the number of House members your State has plus two • Connecticut has 7 electoral college members • Each State votes as a delegation • Whoever wins CT. gets all 7 electoral college votes for that State
Getting to be a member • Each party picks a group of people to act as the electoral college members should their candidate win the popular vote of the State • The popular vote for President is conducted on the 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday of November the earliest would be 11/2, the latest 11/8…this year
Next… • Whichever party wins the State, by 1 vote or by 1 million gets all the electors of that State • Obama beat McCain- 2008 • All 7 electors go to Obama • In mid-December the electors go to all the State capitols and officially vote • The Votes are taken to Washington D.C.
Adding up the Electoral college • House or Representatives- Total 435- allocated by population- • Minimum number assigned- 1 • Most of any State? California 52 • Connecticut—5 (2000-6, 2010-5->why?) • What States do you think have witnessed an increase in the number of Electoral Votes over the past 20 to 30 years and which States do you think lost Electoral Votes?
Next • Early January, Vice President ->presiding over Senate reads the Winners and the Tally’s are done. (Al Gore presided over the reading of his “lost” election to George W. Bush) • Total Electors— • 538 • If each State’s electors are determined by the # House and Senate members why isn’t it 535 (435 + 100)?...Washington D.C.! • How many to Win? 538/2 + 1
President’s who’ve lost the Popular Vote and Won! • George W. Bush 2000 • John Q. Adams 1824 • Rutherford B. Hayes 1876 • Benjamin Harrison 1888
Presidents who haven’t won 50% • George W. Bush 2000 • Bill Clinton 1992 • Jimmy Carter 1976 • Richard Nixon 1968 • John F. Kennedy 1960 • Woodrow Wilson 1912 • Wow!
Biggest Wins! • Reagan 1984 • Nixon 1972 • Johnson 1964 • Franklin D. Roosevelt 1932 • Herbert Hoover 1928 • NO PRESIDENT HAS EVER WON 65% OF THE POPULAR VOTE • In each of the above, the Winner received at least 500 electoral college votes *Obama’s 2008 victory was one of the largest in the past 100 years for a first term Presidential victory. He won the popular vote by 7% and the electoral college 365 to 173
Why don’t Pres. Candidates spend much time in Ct. • Horse shoes and hand grenades! • Because winning by 1 vote is the same as 1 million… • Connecticut is considered—Safe- for Democrats • Texas is considered-Safe- for Republicans • Where’s the time and $$$$ spent! • IT COSTS A LOT TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT—PRES. OBAMA IS EXPECTED TO SPEND $1 BILLION!!!
Battleground States! What do you know about these States? • Pennsylvania • Ohio • Colorado • Michigan • Florida • Virginia • Why are these States so closely split between Republicans and Democrats?
The Win columns • Democrats • New York • Massachussets • California!!! • Republicans • The Deep South (except Fla.) • Alaska Why?
What Party are you? • What do Republicans stand for? • What do Democrats stand for?