Executive Branch Unit: Ch. 13-15 Executive Branch Unit: Ch. 13-15 Power point #1: Pathways to the Presidency Party Candidates Debates: Oct.2015-March 10, 2016 State party caucuses/primaries Feb. 2016- June 14,2016 Determine state delegates to national party conventions National Party Conventions: July18-21 Rep./July 25-29 Dem. a. Nominate party candidates b. Create party platform 4. General Campaign: August–Nov. 8 5. National Popular Election (Choose electors for states): Nov. 8 6. Electoral College Votes: Dec. 13, 2016 7. Inauguration: Jan. 20, 2017
The Electoral College
True or False? Answer: Not necessarily. Ask Al Gore. The candidate with the most popular votes is elected president. Answer: Not necessarily. Ask Al Gore.
The 2000 Election The Popular Vote Al Gore 50,996,039 George W. Bush 50,456,141 The Electoral Vote George W. Bush 271 Al Gore 267 (Florida critical state: 25 electoral votes)
The 2000 Election Bush won Florida by 363 votes 6 million total= less than .001% Gore wants a recount Katherine Harris (Rep Sec. of State) authorizes Bush victory Gore v Bush goes to Supreme Court Dec. 11, 2000 Supreme Court decides 5-4 accept Florida results Republicans select 25 Florida electors ALL vote for Bush Bush wins electoral college 271-267
Historical Background The framers of the Constitution disagreed on how to elect a president Congressional selection (Federalists) direct popular election. (Dem/Rep) The electoral college was a compromise combining features of both approaches. Popular election Final decision by “electors” who do NOT have to follow the popular vote.
The Electoral College and Federalism The electoral college also reflects the federal nature of the Constitution Ensures that the each state has a role in selecting the president.
State Electoral Votes Each state is entitled to as many electoral votes as the sum of its representation U.S. House of Representatives (?) U.S. House of Senate (2) Wa.: 10 House members plus 2 senators = 12 electoral votes Total: 435 House members 100 senators 3 electors for the District of Columbia = 538 electoral votes
Who are the Electors? Individuals selected in each state to officially cast that state’s electoral votes. Washington selects 12 electors to cast the state’s 12 electoral votes. Framers anticipated that electors would be state leaders who would exercise good judgment. Today, the state party leaders nominate electors who are typically long-time party activists. Electors almost always vote for their party’s candidates
Delegate Votes Divided Each state determines the manner of selection All but two states use a winner-take-all delegates statewide election system Nebraska ( 3 districts +2 for total) Maine (2 districts + 2 for total) 48 states “winner takes all” If Candidate A gets the most votes in a state, Candidate A’s political party gets the ALL of the electors
Voters and Electors Therefore, A Washingtonian who voted for Obama really voted for an elector pledged to cast the state’s electoral votes for Obama. Remember: In 2000, Bush won all of Florida’s 25 electoral votes because the final official vote tally showed him ahead of Gore by less than 600 votes.
The Real Election Tuesday January 5, 2016 In December of election year (Dec. 13, 2016) The electors gather in their respective state capitols to cast ballots for president and vice president. In January Congress comes into session They open the ballots received from each state They announce the official outcome. January 20, 2017 Next President inaugurated
What if no one receives a majority? To win, a candidate needs a majority, 270 electoral votes. If no candidate has a majority the House of Representatives selects the president from among the three presidential candidates with the most electoral votes. If this happens, each state has one vote. Happened only once! 1824 Congress chose John Quincy Adams over Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay.
Popular Vote v. the Electoral Vote In a close race, the popular vote winner may not win the electoral college. One candidate may win states by lopsided margins while the other wins states by narrow margins. Electoral vote winners who lost the popular vote Bush over Gore in 2000 Benjamin Harrison over Grover Cleveland in 1888 Rutherford B. Hayes over Samuel Tilden in 1876
Criticisms of the Electoral College The popular vote winner may lose the presidency. “Winner take all” not fair Electors may vote for persons other than their party’s presidential and vice presidential candidates. If no candidate receives a majority, Congress will pick the president and vice president.
Proposals for Reform Eliminate electors but still count electoral votes. Candidate who wins the popular vote in the state automatically receives all electors. “Winner take all” changed to proportional representation (40% of popular vote=40% of the electors Choose the president by direct popular election.
The 2008 Presidential Election
2012 Presidential Election Obama (Blue) 303 Romney (Red) 235
Review Question #1 Washington has 10 U.S. representatives. How many electoral votes does the state have?
Answer #1 12 electors
Review Question #2 Who are electors?
Answer #2 They are individuals selected in each state to officially cast that state’s electoral votes. Electors are typically long-time party activists who are selected by their state party organization as a reward for their loyalty to the party. Although electors almost always vote for the party choice they CAN vote for anyone that they want.
Review Question#3 Does it matter whether a candidate carries a state by a few votes or a lot of votes?
Answer #3 No. A candidate receives all of a state’s electoral votes whether the candidate carries the state by one vote or a million votes. In every state except Nebraska and Maine, the race is winner take all.
Review Question #4 What is the small state bias?
Answer #4 (Video: “What’s the Trouble with the Electoral College”) The electoral college has a small state bias because every state gets at least three electoral votes regardless of its population. As a result, small states such as Alaska, Wyoming, and South Dakota enjoy a greater percentage of electoral votes than they would merit based strictly on population. (Video: “What’s the Trouble with the Electoral College”)