1. Correct Answer?
A state has 11 electoral votes. In a presidential election, the Democratic candidate receives 48 percent of that state’s popular vote, the Republican candidate receives 40 percent of the vote, and an independent candidate receives 12 percent of the vote.
If the state is similar to most other states, how will the electoral votes most likely be allocated?
The Democratic candidate will receive 5 electoral votes, the Republican will receive 4, and the independent will receive 2
The Democratic candidate will receive 6 electoral votes and the Republican will receive 5
The Democratic candidate will receive all the 11 electoral votes
The votes will not be allocated until there has been a runoff election between the Democratic and Republican candidates
The House of Representatives will determine the allocation of the electoral votes

2. Electing the President
Unit 5 Notes

3. Possible Methods Turned Down
Congress Appoints the President
Afraid congress would be too powerful – (violation of Checks & Balances in congress)
Direct Popular Vote – a direct vote by the people
The people aren’t intelligent enough
not enough media
most popular candidate may not be best

4. Electoral College & Voting Process Today
President is elected every 4 years (1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012)
Political parties choose nominees to run in each state
Nominees campaign from state to state to win their political party’s nomination = Political Primaries
Democratic Primary
Republican Primary

5. Hippocampus Video

6. 2008 Republican Primary
Tommy Thompson, Sam Brownback, John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, Ron Paul, Duncan Hunter

7. Barrack Obama, John Edwards, Dennis Kucinich, Hilary Clinton
Democratic Primaries 2008
Barrack Obama, John Edwards, Dennis Kucinich, Hilary Clinton

8. Electoral College & Voting Process Today
Presidential Election
Voters in each state go to booths and vote for a specific candidate
Voters are actually voting on that candidate’s electors
Each states number of electors is based upon the number of total congressman that state has
House + Senate = Electoral Votes
Winner-takes-all on electoral votes
exception: Nebraska & Maine
Candidate with the Majority wins NOT the candidate with the most votes

9. 1996 Electoral College

10. 2008 Electoral College Map

11. Project 2012 Electoral College

12. Problems with Electoral College
Candidate could win popular vote but lose electoral vote
Third-Party Candidates

13. Presidential Oath
“I do solemnly swear, that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.”