1. Third Parties and the Electoral College

2. Purposes of Parties Inform-issues Nominate candidates
Ensure good performance—your own party
Watchdog—other party
Govern—make the laws

3. How are third parties like a shooting star??

4. Third Parties Bring up new ideas Influence the people and parties
Third Party
Short term
Big flash
Fizzle out
Bring up new ideas
Influence the people and parties
Absorbed into major parties

5. Roots of Third Parties Single issue— Green Economic protest—Tea Party
Ideology—Libertarian
Splinter—”Bull Moose”

9. Electoral College One vote per representative and senator
Minimum # is 3
3 votes for D.C. (23rd amendment)
Voters vote for a slate of electors
Electors pledge to vote for candidate who won the state in the popular election
48 states—winner takes all (exceptions—NE & ME)

10. Why do we have an electoral college?
Fear--Founding Fathers didn’t trust the judgment of the people—too easy to manipulate
Knowledge—Voters won’t know candidates from other states
Representation--Gives the states a say in the choice of President (Federalism)

12. Problems with the electoral college
Win popular vote and lose electoral college
Faithless electors
No majority in electoral college—House of Rep. votes 1 per state (top 3 candidates)
9 faithless electors total, four won pop vote but not pres

13. Proportional Allocation of Electoral Votes :
Electoral votes are split by popular vote percentages

14. Direct Vote with Plurality Rule
Abolish electoral college—popular vote only
Requires constitutional amendment

15. Congressional District Method
Divides votes by district plus 2 extra for winner of the popular vote

16. Direct Election with Instant Runoff Voting:
Voters rank their choices to insure a majority and not just a plurality

17. National Bonus Plan: 
Keep electoral college but give the winner of the popular vote bonus electoral college votes

18. Binding Proposal
Force electors to vote the way the voters did—no more faithless electors