What role does the electoral college play in elections?
When citizens cast their ballots for president in the popular vote, they elect a slate of electors. Electors then cast the votes that decide who becomes president of the United States. Usually, electoral votes align with the popular vote in an election.
How does the Electoral College vote?
In nearly every state, the candidate who gets the most votes wins the “electoral votes” for that state, and gets that number of voters (or “electors”) in the “Electoral College.” Second, the “electors” from each of the 50 states gather in December and they vote for president.
How are electoral votes allocated to states?
Electoral votes are allocated among the States based on the Census. Every State is allocated a number of votes equal to the number of senators and representatives in its U.S. Congressional delegation—two votes for its senators in the U.S. Senate plus a number of votes equal to the number of its Congressional districts.
Why is voting important for citizens?
Another responsibility of citizens is voting. The law does not require citizens to vote, but voting is a very important part of any democracy. By voting, citizens are participating in the democratic process. Citizens vote for leaders to represent them and their ideas, and the leaders support the citizens’ interests.
What are 3 flaws in the electoral college process?
Three criticisms of the College are made: It is “undemocratic;” It permits the election of a candidate who does not win the most votes; and. Its winner-takes-all approach cancels the votes of the losing candidates in each state.
Why was the Electoral College put into place?
The Founding Fathers established the Electoral College in the Constitution, in part, as a compromise between the election of the President by a vote in Congress and election of the President by a popular vote of qualified citizens.
How does the Electoral College work in simple terms?
In the Electoral College system, each state gets a certain number of electors based on its total number of representatives in Congress. Each elector casts one electoral vote following the general election; there are a total of 538 electoral votes. The candidate that gets more than half (270) wins the election.
What happens if the Electoral College is a tie?
In such a situation, the House chooses one of the top three presidential electoral vote-winners as the president, while the Senate chooses one of the top two vice presidential electoral vote-winners as vice president.
What year was the tie in the Electoral College?
On February 17, 1801, the House of Representatives, breaking a tie in the Electoral College, elected Thomas Jefferson president of the United States. Jefferson’s triumph brought an end to one of the most acrimonious presidential campaigns in U.S. history and resolved a serious Constitutional crisis.
What are the major concerns or problems with the operation of the Electoral College system quizlet?
1) Small-population states are over-represented. 2) Winner-takes-all system can distort the result (such as in 2008, when Obama won 52% of the popular vote but 68% of the Electoral College votes). 3) Possible for a candidate to win the popular vote but lose in the Electoral College (as Al Gore (Democrat) did in 2000).
What are some criticisms of the electoral college quizlet?
Terms in this set (5)
- Each vote is not counted equally. -Smaller states get a disproportionate amount of votes.
- Distorts presidential campaign towards smaller states.
- Winner of popular vote doesn’t always win.
- Third party candidates can have a disproportionate effect.
- Does not guarantee small states’ influence.
What causes a candidate like Al Gore to win the popular vote and lose the vote in the Electoral College quizlet?
Bush was able to win a majority in the Electoral College when Al Gore won the national popular vote because Bush was able to win a majority in enough states to gain the required number of electoral votes to win, but he won by small margins in those states. When do electors cast their vote for president?
Who was the most recent presidential candidate to win the popular vote yet lose the electoral college quizlet?
Al Gore won the popular vote by over 500,000 votes but lost the electoral college 271 to 266.9This also happened in 1824, when Andrew Jackson won 12 percent more of the vote than John Quincy Adams; in 1876, when Samuel Tilden received more popular votes than Rutherford B.
Which two states do not use a winner take all system in the Electoral College quizlet?
Maine and Nebraska do not use the winner-take-all system. Instead, the electoral votes are split based on a candidate’s statewide performance and his performance in each congressional district. The Maine and Nebraska state legislatures vote on how to apportion their electoral votes.
Which two states do not award state electoral votes in a winner take all fashion?
Most states distribute their Electoral College votes in the same “winner takes all” fashion as Michigan. However two states, Maine and Nebraska, apportion their electoral votes by congressional district.
What two states do not use the winner take all system?
Voters in each state choose electors by casting a vote for the presidential candidate of their choice. The slate winning the most popular votes is the winner. Only two states, Nebraska and Maine, do not follow this winner-take-all method.