1. The Election of a President

2. Original Provisions
According to the Constitution, the President and Vice President are chosen by a special body of presidential electors.
Originally, these electors each cast two electoral votes, each for a different candidate. The candidate with the most votes would become President, and the candidate with the second highest total would become Vice President.

3. The Electoral College
A group of people (electors) chosen from each State and the District of Columbia that formally selects the President and Vice President
With the rise of political parties in 1796, flaws began to be seen in the system

4. The 1800 Election
The 12th Amendment was added to the Constitution in 1804 following the election of 1800.
each elector would distinctly cast one electoral vote for President and one for Vice President.

5. Nominating a President
Primaries
A delegate-selection process and/or
A candidate preference election
From this point, primaries can only be described on a State-by-State basis because:
The fact that in each State the details of delegate-selection process are determined by that State’s own law
The ongoing reform efforts in the Democratic Party (greater grassroots politics)
1968 DNC- a lot of descent within the party
Vietnam
Civil Rights

6. Nominating a President
The Caucus-Convention Process
Voters choose delegates to a local or district convention, at which delegates for a State convention are chosen, at which delegates for the National convention are chosen
The National Convention
A meeting held by the major political parties in which delegates vote to pick their Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates
Major Goals of the National Convention
Naming the party’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates
Bringing various factions of party together in one place and unifying or uniting the party
Adopting the parties platform (party’s stand on major policy matters)

7. Nominating a President
The National Convention
The First Two Days
Organizing and Rousing Speeches
Keynote address-Speech given at a party convention to set the tone for the convention and the campaign to come
Glorifies party, its history, its leaders and its programs
Condemns the opposition
Predicts victory in November
Write Platform
“Platforms are written to be ignored and forgotten…Like Jell-O shimmering on a dessert plate, there is usually little substance and nothing you can get your teeth into.

8. The Election The Electoral College
Each state has the same number of votes as they have representation in the House and Senate
The Framers expected the electors to use their own judgment in selecting a President
Today, electors really just “rubber stamp” the candidates
They are expected to vote in-line with their state’s will
“In short, the electors go through the form set out in the Constitution in order to meet the letter of the Constitution, but their behavior is a far cry from its original intent

9. The Election The Electoral College
Vote for the Electors on “the Tuesday after the first Monday in November”
Winner-take-all system (except Maine and Nebraska)
if a candidate wins a state, he/she wins all the votes from that state
The people, as a whole, really vote for electors
In most states you will see the Presidential candidates name on the ballot
Vote for President on the “Monday after the second Wednesday in December”

10. The Election The Electoral College
Presidential candidate must win a majority of the electoral votes (270 out of 538)
If a candidate fails to win a majority, the election is thrown into the House of Representatives
Vote out of the top 3 candidates
Each state gets one vote (candidate must receive 26 votes)

11. The Election Flaws in the Electoral College
Winner of the popular vote is not guaranteed the presidency
The small state benefit
Wyoming Electoral representation= 165,000
California Electoral representation= 616,000
Electors are not required to vote in accord with the popular vote
“faithless elector”- 1796, 1820, 1948, 1956, 1960, 1968, 1972, 1976, and 1988
2000- one member from DC didn’t vote
Any election might have to be decided in the House of Representatives
Happened twice
Could happen with a strong 3rd party candidate

12. The National Bonus Plan Direct Popular Election
Alternative Ideas
The District Plan
The Proportional Plan
The National Bonus Plan
Direct Popular Election

13. The Election
How do you fix the problems posed by the Electoral College:
The District Plan
More accurate results; get rid of winner-take-all
1960- Nixon would have become President
The Proportional Plan (60% of popular vote and 10 Electoral College votes= 6 votes)
get rid of winner-take-all; faithless elector
1896- W.J. Bryan would have become President despite the fact that he lost the popular vote by a significant number of votes; Small states—over-represented; encourage 3rd parties
The National Bonus Plan (an additional 102 votes to the winner of the popular election)
Direct Popular Election
All votes would be equal
Small states would be against this—lose representation