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The Electoral College. Caitlyn Fitzgerald INDT 501-03. What is it?. Made up of representatives (electors) 538 100 to represent each Senator 435 to represent each Representative of the House 3 for Washington, DC. Who are we voting for?. Do you vote directly for the President? NO!
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The Electoral College Caitlyn Fitzgerald INDT 501-03
What is it? • Made up of representatives (electors) • 538 • 100 to represent each Senator • 435 to represent each Representative of the House • 3 for Washington, DC
Who are we voting for? • Do you vote directly for the President? • NO! • You actually vote for an elector • Electors pledge to vote for the candidates for whom the constituents vote • Candidates need a simple majority (270) to win
Who do electors vote for? • All but 2 states have a “winner take all” method • If the majority of citizens vote Republican, all of that state’s electors pledge to cast their votes for the Republican candidate • Example: Virginia has 13 electoral votes. All 13 would go to the Republican candidate
Elector Breakdown • The 2008 election by state…
A Flaw of the College • Although population-based, does not always reflect results of popular vote • The 2000 election: • Electoral votes: • Bush: 271 • Gore: 266 • BUT, popular votes: • Bush: 50,456,002 • Gore: 50,999,897 Should Al Gore have been president???
Question 1 • Which state carries the most electoral votes? • A. New York • B. Florida • C. California
Question 2 • What does “winner take all” mean in the electoral college? • A. The presidential candidate with the most popular votes automatically wins the election • B. The presidential candidate with the most popular votes in a state wins all of that state’s electoral votes • C. The presidential candidate who wins the most states automatically wins the election
Question 3 • Why was the 2008 presidential election different than usual for Virginia? • A. Virginia voted for the Democratic candidate • B. Virginia voted for the Republican candidate • C. Some of Virginia’s electoral votes went to the Republicans and some went to the Democrats
Sources • Tan electoral college map [map]. Retrieved October 27, 2010, from: http://www.nationalpopularvote.com/pages/electoralcollege.php • US Electoral College Map 2008 [map]. Retrieved October 27, 2010, from: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US_Electoral_College_Map_2008.svg • Al Gore [photo]. Retrieved October 27, 2010, from: http://gawker.com/5282163/al-gores-busy-making-bad-jokes-while-his-currenttv-journalists-are-still-trapped-in-north-korea