How the Electoral College Works Unit: Election by the Numbers

United States Constitution The United States Constitution outlines how the President is to be elected. The two main sections that deal with the electing of the President are: Article I Section II: Census Article II Section I: Electoral College

What is a census and why do we have one? A census is the actual counting of people. The Constitution requires that a census be performed every ten years because populations tend to shift throughout the country. The number of representatives that a state has is dependent upon population.

After the 1990 census, the state of Connecticut had six US representatives based upon their population. After the 2000 census, Connecticut lost one representative seat and now has only five representatives. Much of the population shift has been southward. For example, Georgia was allocated eleven representatives in 1990. That number has grown to thirteen representatives after the 2000 census.

The Number of Electoral College Votes Each State has is Determined by: Total Number of Electoral College Votes Number of Representatives Number of Senators + = May Change with Census… Each State has Two Senators Each State has at Least One Representative

Connecticut 2000 Presidential Election 1990 Census Data Number of Representatives Total Number of Electoral College Votes Number of Senators + = 6 2 8

Connecticut 2004 Presidential Election 2000 Census Data Number of Representatives Total Number of Electoral College Votes Number of Senators + = 5 2 7

Georgia 2000 Presidential Election 1990 Census Data Number of Representatives Total Number of Electoral College Votes Number of Senators + = 11 2 13

Georgia 2004 Presidential Election 2000 Census Data Number of Representatives Total Number of Electoral College Votes Number of Senators + = 13 2 15

How is a President Elected? The candidate who wins the popular vote within a state…wins all of the electoral votes for that state. The first candidate to receive a majority of the electoral college votes from all the states is elected president. If there is no majority, the House of Representatives will choose between the top three candidates.

2000 Presidential Election 435 Representatives 100 Senators 3 Electoral Votes for Washington D.C. + ______________ 538 Electoral College Votes Majority = 270 Electoral College Votes George W. Bush 271 Al Gore 266 One Electoral Vote was NOT cast