what college course teaches about the electoral college

What is the Electoral College and how does it work?

The Electoral College is a system that uses votes to elect the United States president as a balance of election power between the federal and state governments. Explore the definition and process of the Electoral College and learn about electors, votes, and problems with this system. Updated: 10/04/2021

How many electoral college votes are there in the US?

There are currently 538 total Electoral College votes. Of these, 100 votes represent our U.S. senators. Remember that there are two U.S. senators from each of our 50 states. The remaining 438 votes are divided between our congressional districts, including the District of Columbia.

How do I assign electoral college vote numbers to students?

Divide students into groups of differing numbers and assign an Electoral College vote number. Larger groups will have a larger number of votes, smaller groups will have fewer. Return to the topic you voted on at the beginning of class.

What do students do to prepare for voting?

Have students practice calculating votes, participate in a mock voting session, debate efficacy of the process, and propose a reform model. After this lesson, students will be able to: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.4

What is the Electoral College method?

The number of electors each state gets is equal to its total number of Senators and Representatives in Congress. A total of 538 electors form the Electoral College. Each elector casts one vote following the general election. The candidate who gets 270 votes or more wins.

Where did the idea of the Electoral College come from?

The Electoral College was created by the framers of the U.S. Constitution as an alternative to electing the president by popular vote or by Congress.

How is the Electoral College vote certified?

When each state's appointed electors meet to vote (on the first Monday after the second Wednesday of December), they sign and record their vote on a certificate of vote, which are then paired with the certificate of ascertainment, which together are sent to be opened and counted by congress.

What are three major flaws of the Electoral College system?

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.

Who chooses the Electoral College?

Who selects the electors? Choosing each State's electors is a two-part process. First, the political parties in each State choose slates of potential electors sometime before the general election. Second, during the general election, the voters in each State select their State's electors by casting their ballots.

Has the Electoral College ever voted against the majority?

Through the 2020 election, there have been a total of 165 instances of faithlessness. They have never swung an election, and nearly all have voted for third party candidates or non-candidates, as opposed to switching their support to a major opposing candidate.

What is the purpose of the Electoral College?

The Electoral College is how we refer to the process by which the United States elects the President, even though that term does not appear in the U.S. Constitution. In this process, the States (which includes the District of Columbia just for this process) elect the President and Vice President.

Is America the only country with Electoral College?

Other countries with electoral college systems include Burundi, Estonia, India, Kazakhstan, Madagascar, Myanmar, Pakistan, Trinidad and Tobago and Vanuatu. The Seanad Éireann (Senate) in Ireland is chosen by an electoral college.

What happens if the Electoral College is eliminated?

In the case of an Electoral College deadlock or if no candidate receives the majority of votes, a “contingent election” is held. The election of the President goes to the House of Representatives.

What did the 12th amendment do?

Passed by Congress December 9, 1803, and ratified June 15, 1804, the 12th Amendment provided for separate Electoral College votes for President and Vice President, correcting weaknesses in the earlier electoral system which were responsible for the controversial Presidential Election of 1800.

When was Electoral College created?

In 1804, 12th Amendment to the Constitution made sure that electors designate their votes for president and vice president, but the 12th Amendment leaves in place a tie breaking system established by the Constitution by which the House of Representatives breaks a tie on presidential electoral votes and the Senate ...

When was the Electoral College founded?

The Convention approved the Committee's Electoral College proposal, with minor modifications, on September 6, 1787.

Why did the Founding Fathers add the Electoral College to the Constitution quizlet?

Terms in this set (22) The framers created the Electoral College, because they didn't trust the people to make electoral decisions on their own. They wanted the president chosen by what they thought of as "enlightened statesmen".

What did the 23rd amendment do?

The Amendment allows American citizens residing in the District of Columbia to vote for presidential electors, who in turn vote in the Electoral College for President and Vice President. In layperson's terms, the Amendment means that residents of the District are able to vote for President and Vice President.

What Are The Electors?

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