1. Pros and Cons of the Electoral College

2. Rules
Each state appoints “Electors” equal to the number of combined seats in the House and Senate
Electors meet in own states
Electors cast two votes (P and VP)
MAJORITY (270 votes) to win
If no winner, House of Reps. chooses among top candidates, one vote per state.

6. Problems with the EC? Anti-Majoritarian Unequal weighting of votes
Popular vote winner can lose presidency
Can have House of Reps, one state per vote, elect president
Can have “Faithless Electors”
Unequal weighting of votes
Voters in small states mathematically overrepresented
Partisan minorities’ votes “don’t count”
Campaign only targets some voters
Turnout is higher in battleground states
But rhetoric is national
But battleground states demographically representative
But no difference in voter efficacy

7. Positive aspects of EC?
Forces candidates to create broad electoral coalitions
Exaggerates margin of victory, making governing easier
Encourages 2 party system

8. Consequences for strategy?
Focus on electorally rich (populous) states
Focus on “swing” states

9. Difference in two-party percent of vote
Targeted States, 2004
State
Visits
Ads?
Difference in two-party percent of vote
OH (20 EV) 45 X
2.1%
IA (7 EV) 31
0.67%
PA (21 EV) 30
2.5%
WI (10 EV) 28
0.38%
FL (27 EV) 23
5.0%
MN (10 EV) 19
3.5%
MI (17 EV) 17
NM (5 EV) 12
0.8%
WV (5 EV) 11
12.9%
CO (9 EV) 10
4.8%
NH (4 EV)
1.3%
MO (11 EV) 7
7.2%
NV (5 EV)
2.4%
NC (15 EV) 5
12.4%

10. Targeted States in 2008 (Spending in Millions)EV
Obama
McCain
Obama MOV
Ohio 20
$31.5
$30.6 5
Pennsylvania 21
$31.4
$25.0 11
Florida 27
$36.1
$16.2 3
Virginia 13
$26.0
$14.0 6
Colorado 9
$14.4
$13.9
North Carolina 15
$15.6
$5.6 1
Indiana
 11
$13.3
$5.3
Nevada
$8.7
$5.5 12
Source: Numbers from Jaimeson, "Electing the President 2008, the insiders' view", CQ Press 2009

11. Targeted States, 2004 State Battleground Total US Income under $35 K
42.1
41.5
Income over $100K
10.6
12.3
High school diploma
72.8
70.1
Black
8.3
11.4
Latino
7.2
11.0
Mainline protestant
21.4
17.5
Evangelical protestant
24.5
23.4
Catholic
24.3
Unaffiliated
15.1
14.2

12. Turnout in targeted states
Turnout rate 2000
Turnout rate 2004
Battleground
54.6
62.2
US Total
50.0
55.3
Difference
4.6
6.9

13. Simple popular vote: Effects on campaign strategy
Greater cost
Media markets replace states as focus of resource concentration
Favors Republicans?

14. Media markets