The American Electoral College: The Voting Process in the United States Ms. Amundsen United States Government and Politics 12 th Grade

Article II, Section I, Clause II Original text: “Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.” United States Constitution In presidential elections, each state will be given a certain number of electors depending upon its population. These electors will then cast votes depending on the party that has won the majority. Significance: Americans do not directly vote for the president

Breakdown of Electoral College Each state is given a number of votes depending on their population There are a total of 538 votes divided by the states Why? 100 senators (2 for every state) 438 house representatives (provided by population) Each state is given 3 to begin with Additional votes are given provided by population Voters are telling the state how they would like it to vote, not directly voting for the president themselves The winner of the majority (no matter how small) receives all of the state’s electoral votes Take 270 votes to win the presidency

Breakdown of Electoral College Voter Elector Candidate Votes -> Votes -> Why? Information traveled much slower during the late 1700s, therefore voters relied on messengers (electors) to transport their votes to Washington.

The Process For example: California California has a total of 55 electoral votes President Obama won California with a majority of 60% in 2012 Electors cast their ballots All 55 electoral votes go to the Obama campaign

Electoral College Map

Problems with the EC Minorities are not represented in the national election If a president wins a states majority by 1%, they receive all the electoral votes Significance: the other 50% do not get represented 2000 Election Al Gore vs. George W. Bush II Popular vote: AG: 50,999,897 votes cast GWB: 50, 456,002 votes cast AG wins by 543,895 votes Electoral Vote: (after Supreme Court stops Florida from recounting its votes) AG: 266 GWB: 270