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American Government Lecture Seven (view source)
Revision as of 02:13, October 24, 2012
, 02:13, October 24, 2012explaining the Electoral College
{{Government Lectures}}
The latest polling suggests that Mitt Romney may win the most votes nationwide, but lost the election. How is that possible?
The reason is this: the winner of the presidential election is not the person who received the most votes. Instead, the U.S. Constitution establishes an "Electoral College" to elect the president, which consists of representatives selected in each state.
In 2000, Al Gore won more votes by Americans than George W. Bush did, but Bush won more Electoral College votes and thus was elected president. Other years when a candidate lost the presidential election despite winning the most overall votes include 1960 and 1824.
So let's understand how the Electoral College works, because in less than two weeks it may decide who the next president of the United States is.
== The Electoral College ==
Each State has a certain number of Electoral College votes, which equals the total of the State's congressmen plus senators. Because every State has at least one congressman and two senators, the minimum number of Electoral College votes is 3. The least-populated states (Alaska, Montana and Wyoming), have 3 Electoral College votes apiece. Heavily populated States have many more. Texas has 38 Electoral College votes, Florida has 29, Ohio has 18, and New Jersey has 14.
Under the Constitution, the members of the Electoral College meet on one day in December to elect the next president. A total of 270 Electoral College votes are needed by a candidate to win the election. If no candidate wins that many (as occurred in 1824), then the House of Representatives picks the next president.
Nearly every State uses a winner-take-all system, such that the candidate who wins the popular vote in that State then receives all of its Electoral College votes. It does not matter if the candidate wins by 51-49$ or 75-25%, the winner receives the same number of Electoral College votes for that State: all of them.
== More Political Terminology ==
== More Political Terminology ==
a "ground game"
a "ground game"
== Homework ==
== Homework ==
Answer the first five questions, and then two of the remaining three, for a total of seven questions:
1.
<br>2.
<br>3.
<br>4.
<br>5.
<br>6.
<br>7.
<br>8.
'''Extra credit''' (answer two of the following five questions):
9.
<br>10.
<br>11.
<br>12.
<br>13.
possible questions:
# What role is the internet playing in the 2008 election?
# What role is the internet playing in the 2008 election?
# Is the overall influence of television on politics good or bad?
# Is the overall influence of television on politics good or bad?
# Do you favor or oppose the power of political parties?
# Do you favor or oppose the power of political parties?
You can post your answers at [[American Government Homework Seven]].
== References ==
<references/>
[[Category:American Government lectures]]
[[Category:American Government lectures]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:American Government Lecture 07}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:American Government Lecture 07}}