The Presidency
Presidential Selection: The Framers’ Plan Section 3 Presidential Selection: The Framers’ Plan
How is the President Selected? Many different rules govern the selection process. The Constitution State and Federal Laws Political Parties
Original Provisions Framers did not want President elected by Congress or a direct vote by the people. Presidential Electors and Electoral College Electors are chosen in each state in a manner the state legislature directed. Each state would have as many electors as it had members of Congress Electors would each cast two electoral votes
The Electors Framers intended Electors would be “the most enlightened and responsible citizens” from each state. They were to act as “free agents” in choosing the people best qualified to fill the Presidency and Vice Presidency
The Rise of Parties Federalists v. Democratic-Republicans The Election of 1800 Each party nominates Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates Each party gets electors chosen to the electoral college Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr ties as each elector chose their party’s nominees.
Reforms to the Electoral System Party politics demonstrated the weakness of the system. Led to the passage of the 12th Amendment to the Constitution in 1804 Made it so there would be separate elections for the President and the Vice President in the Electoral College.