U2 - The Electoral College
what if there is a tie in the election?
- 12th Amendment - Congress votes break the tie
what are the Constitutional requirements to run for president?
- At least 35 years old - Natural born citizen of US - Resident of US for 14+ years
steps when running for president
1: Primaries 2: Nominating Convention 3: General Election 4: Electoral College
formula to determine electors per state
2 Senators + number of members in House of Representatives = # of electors
how many electoral votes does a candidate need to win?
270
How many electoral votes are there?
538
general election
An election held to choose which candidate will hold office
Electoral College
In each state, individuals vote for the person they want to be President. The candidate with the most votes in each state wins all of that state's electoral votes. This is the winner take all system
What about 3rd parties?
The Electoral College basically protects the two-party system by making it nearly impossible for a third party or independent candidate to beat the Democratic and Republican candidates.
Why does the electoral college exist?
The founders thought that the use of electors would give our country a representative president while avoiding a corruptible national election
Pros of the Electoral college
it makes sure a president has support across the nation, not just in one region that has enough votes to provide a majority.
Primaries
political party meeting to determine which candidate from each party will run
cons of the electoral college
some say it is unfair because a candidate can win without actually winning the majority.
nominating convention
finalizes the selection of the ONE nominee (per party) and the nominee selects a VP
How does the electoral college work?
When citizens cast their ballots for president, they elect a slate of electors. Electors then cast the votes that decide who becomes president.
what is the purpose of the electoral college?
a compromise between the election of the President by a vote in Congress and by a popular vote of citizens