ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND ELECTORAL PROCESS ELECTORAL COLLEGE Electoral

ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND ELECTORAL PROCESS

ELECTORAL COLLEGE � Electoral votes based on population � 270 magic number for candidates - if no one reaches 270, vote taken in House of Representatives � Twelfth Amendment - outlines the purpose of the Electoral College and electoral process for President and Vice President - essentially 51 different elections telling state electors how they will cast their vote

WHY AN ELECTORAL COLLEGE? � Founding Fathers weren’t sure a democracy would work and created Electoral College so states could “choose” � Really 51 (includes DC) different elections with people telling their electors who to vote for � 700 proposed changes to the Electoral College (more than any other subject)

Proportional Plan - candidate would receive same share of State’s electoral vote as his share of popular vote Direct Popular Plan – allow candidate who won the popular vote to become President; hurts small states or least populated states National Bonus Plan - would keep much of current system intact but weight the winner-take-all feature toward winner of popular vote

WHO ARE THE ELECTORS? � People elected by their state political parties � Can’t be an elector if you currently hold a federal office at time of election � Faithless Electors - Electors who vote against the will of the people in the state election - 24 states have laws punishing faithless electors

THE ROAD TO THE PRESIDENCY � “Test the waters” � Visit talk shows, make appearances in IA and NH, take a book tour, for a PAC to raise money for a cause � Create a campaign organization � Fundraising, grassroots (especially in early primary states) � Raise money

DIRECT PRIMARY ELECTIONS � Most common way for a candidate to gain a nomination and held before the general election Primaries - (1/3 to ½ of voters in general election) � Open Primary - voters don’t have to declare their party to vote � Closed Primary - voters do have to declare their party to vote (Missouri)

NATIONAL CONVENTION � Caucus – meetings during convention to adopt party platform � Party platform - ideas and principles (planks) that each party writes out to define the major issues of their party and unite the party � National Convention is used to select the party’s Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION � Nomination of presidential and vice-presidential candidates by their party � Campaign - attempt by candidates to convince you to vote for them � Vote on the first Tuesday in November - winner take all system - Have to get 270 votes in Electoral College to win