1. Electoral College

2. Each state has a different number of electoral votes based on their population.
Electoral college votes is equal to
# of House of Reps + # of Senators
How it works

4. How it works Includes 538 electors
A candidate must win at least 270 of the 538 votes
If no candidate has a majority– who decides?
Winner takes all system- winner of the POPULAR VOTE in each state gets ALL of the electoral college votes for that state
Two states are not winner takes all-
Maine and Nebraska- can split votes
Do not legally require electors to vote for the candidate who wins the popular vote, but electors usually do so
How it works

5. Issues with the Electoral College
Winner take all
Argue that this system is unfair to those who voted for a losing candidate
Makes it possible for a candidate who loses the popular vote to win the electoral vote
People who live in a very heavily populated Republican state who vote Democratic (or vice versa) feel that their vote doesn’t count
Third Party Candidates
Can win enough electoral votes to prevent anyone from having a majority
Can then bargain to release electoral votes to one of the major-party candidates
Issues with the Electoral College