Unit 3, Section 4 The Electoral College I. The System A. The Founding Fathers 1. They did not trust the average person’s intelligence to elect the president. 2. They devised a system to allow the nation’s elite to actually elect the president. B. The Electoral College 1. This is a group of people called “electors” who officially elect the president and vice president.

2. Over the years, the electoral vote has been “responsive” to the popular vote. a. Electors vote for the candidate who received the most votes in their state. b. Most states have made it illegal for electors NOT to vote this way. II. How It Works A. The Popular Vote 1.This is the vote “of the people” 2.This is counted in each state to determine the winner of each of the 50 states

B. The Electors 1. They are chosen by their states’ political parties 2. Each state has as many electoral votes as it has senators and representatives in Congress + 3 from D.C. C. This is a “winner takes all” system 1.Whoever gets the most popular votes in a state, gets all of that states electoral votes. D. In December (the election is in November), the E.C. meets to cast their ballots. 1. These are then sent to the Senate and counted.

E. A candidate must receive ½ of the 538 electoral votes to win. 1. The winning number is If no one gets a majority from the E.C. the House of Representatives votes. a. This has happened twice – 1800 & 1824 F. It is possible to lose the popular vote and win the electoral vote – thus winning the election. 1. This has happened 4 times!

III. Criticisms A.Many people say the Electoral College: 1. Is outdated and un-democratic. 2. Does not represent the popular vote 3. Minimizes the importance of an individual’s vote a – Andrew Jackson lost to John Quincy Adams b – Samuel Tilden (from Utica) lost to Rutherford B. Hayes. c – Grover Cleveland lost to Benjamin Harrison d – Al Gore lost to George W. Bush