quiz 1. this is a group of representatives of each state who cast the final ballot that actually...
TRANSCRIPT
QUIZ 1. This is a group of representatives of each state who cast the final
ballot that actually elects the president.
2. How many votes does each elector cast for President under the original Constitution?
3. Which of the following was there NOT a problem with our current system? 1800 1824 1862 1888
4. __________________ is the reallocation of the number of seats in the House of Representatives after each decennial census.
“THE FRAMERS WANTED THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE TO SERVE AS A RELIABLE GATEKEEPER, A RICHLY ENDOWED ‘NOMINATING COMMITTEE’ THAT WOULD SEND THE TOP VOTE-GETTERS TO THE U.S. HOUSE FOR A FINAL CHOICE, WITHOUT ANY RELIANCE ON THE WILL OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC. GEORGE MASON. . . ‘CONCEIVED IT WOULD BE AS UNNATURAL TO REFER THE CHOICE OF A PROPER CHARACTER FOR CHIEF MAGISTRATE TO THE PEOPLE, AS IT WOULD, TO REFER A TRIAL OF COLOURS TO A BLIND MAN. THE EXTENT OF THE COUNTRY RENDERS IT IMPOSSIBLE THAT THE PEOPLE CAN HAVE THE REQUISITE CAPACITY TO JUDGE.’”
Taken from: A More Perfect Constitution. by, Larry Sabato
ELECTORAL COLLEGE: ORIGINAL CONSTITUTION Number of electors= senators and
representatives MD: 8 Rep. + 2 Sen.= 10 E.V.
States determine how electors are chosen. Each elector casts 2 votes. If a candidate gets a majority, he wins. VP is candidate with 2nd most votes. If no one gets majority, House decides.
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE(TAKEN FROM MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS WEBSITE)
As established by Federal Law, on the first Monday after the second Wednesday of December after a Presidential General Election, each State's Electors will meet in their respective State capitals and cast their electoral votes.
The electoral votes are sealed and transmitted from each State to the President of the Senate who, on a designated date, opens and reads them before both houses of Congress.
QUALIFICATION AND SELECTION METHOD
No Senator or Representative, or person holding an office of trust or profit under the United States, shall be appointed as an elector. (Article II, U.S. Constitution) There are no specific rules for the method of selecting electors. However, some political parties select one person residing in each of the 8 congressional districts and 2 at-large.
ROMNEY V. OBAMA
GINGRICH V. OBAMA
ROMNEY GINGRICH
ELECTION OF 1800
Problem: Tie for President Jefferson and Burr: 73 votes each
House chose Jefferson
12th Amendment (1804) Each elector casts a separate ballot for president and
vice-president.
ELECTION OF 1824
Candidate Popular Vote
Electoral Vote
House Vote
John Q Adams
31% 84 13
Andrew Jackson
42% 99 7
William Crawford
11% 41 4
Henry Clay 13% 37 ---
1. Win Popular Vote. Lose Election.
ELECTION OF 2000
Candidate Electoral Vote Popular Vote
Al Gore 266 50,996,116
George Bush 271 50,456,169
2. OVER/UNDER REPRESENTATION
State Electors % of Electors
Populat-ion
% of Pop.
California 55 10.22% 33,930,000 12.03%
Texas 34 6.32% 20,903,994 7.41%
New York 31 5.76% 19,004,973 6.74%
Maryland 10 1.86% 5,307,886 1.88%
Alaska 3 0.56% 628,933 0.22%
Vermont 3 0.56% 609,890 0.20%
Wyoming 3 0.56% 495,304 o.18%
3. WINNER-TAKES-ALL (FLORIDA, 2000)
Vote Count Bush: 2,912,790 Gore: 2,912,353
25 Electoral Votes
4. Faithless Electors
ELECTION OF 2000
Candidate Electoral Vote Popular Vote
Al Gore 266 50,996,116
George Bush 271 50,456,169
POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES……?
DISTRICT VOTE PLAN: NEBRASKA AND MAINE
Dist. McCain Obama
1st 148,179 121,468
2nd 135,439 138,752
3rd 169,361 73,099
Total 452,979 333,379
MARYLAND: 2008 (RED=DEM: BLUE=REPUB)
32
MARYLAND: 2004/2008 (RED=DEM: BLUE=REPUB)
WHY DO 3RD PARTY CANDIDATES RUN?
THIRD PARTY CONTRIBUTIONS
New or different ideas
Vote of the fringe
Discontent with major parties
Pushes major parties to address unprecedented idea
PEROT COMMERCIALS
14 minute mark
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/34277-1
