American Government Final Electoral College

Electoral College

Elite group of private citizens TRUSTED to pick the President.

Who picks electors?

“Each state comes up with the rules to pick the electors”

(was legislators changed to people in the state) 1792 Connecticut

Who is prohibited from being an elector?

Senators and Representatives, Persons holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States. Anyone who works in State, Local and Federal Government.

How many Electors?

538 TOTAL (with Washington DC addition of 3)

How many Electors per state?

Each state gets as many electors as it has members of Congress (House and Senate).

How many Electors in California?

54

Vote doesn't matter?

• Your Vote MATTERS because it's not 1788, because the State vote matters. It chooses WHAT Electors go.

• Electors are just messengers for the State voters.

How do electors operate? Steps:

1. “debate"

2. 2 Votes

3. Cannot be people from same state

12th Amendment

Each vote is Isolated to the President and VP compared to how it used to be which was a RANKING of best person.

Starts to make the change from 2 best candidates to: The Party we like most.

2 Votes History:

Most votes is president, second most votes is VP

• Stopped voting for the 2 best people

• Starting voting for the 2 best from the PARTY we like best.

1792 Connecticut

Gave the people the power to appoint electors

• Voters in there state get to appoint electors

• Massachusetts, NY, Virginia, Delaware end up following suite 

• Not every state did it at the same time. but all did end up changing

By 1860

Every state in the Union changed (Abraham Lincoln era) from legislators voting for electors to the voters (the people) of their state.

This is our system today.

This system is chosen by the State

Is there a federal election?

NO

We hold 50 different state elections for federal offices at the same time.
No voter has the “right to pick” the president BUT every state in the union gives each state the constitutional right to PICK ELECTORS who pick the President.

Why are Electors not on the ballot?

California has 54 electors and we are to vote for electors

But there were not 54 electors; There were presidential candidates.

Before election the political parties in each state prepares how?

• EACH party comes up with a list of potential electors (in CA 54)

  • Most Parties elect in there OWN party

  • In CA we lean blue so mostly Democrats

State vote matters because?

It chooses WHAT electors vote.

To win the presidency you need:

• Majority of electoral points than the other candidates

• “Race to 270”

  • How to get points: You win the election in the States. 

  • To win an election in the state you get votes to vote for you.

  • SO; not a Federal election but a state by state election

• Some states (Nebraska, Main) do proportional “winner takes all” per district

The 23 Amendment

Gives the CITY of Washington DC the same amount of electoral points as the least populated State in the Union.

• 3 electoral points (same as Wyoming)

Washington

Adams

(Election and Re-election)

Unanimous vote for both.

1st and 2nd place

John Adams

Thomas Jefferson

John Adams President Federalists 

Thomas Jefferson VP Democratic Republicans  

• Opposing Parties

Thomas Jefferson
Arron Burr

Thomas Jefferson President Democratic Republican

Arron Burr VP Democratic Republican 

• Same amount of votes 

• Federalist Fatigue

• Hamilton asks to throw vote to Jefferson because he doesn't like Arron Bur

Hamilton asks to throw vote to?

Jefferson because he doesn't like Arron Bur

Thomas Jefferson

Arron Burr

Thomas Jefferson President Democratic Republican

Arron Burr VP Democratic Republican 

“Wave of Democratization”

• Liberation movements in developing countries who want independence when breaking free tend to set up Democracies. 

• People Power

• State Proposition: This is so important we are bypassing state legislature

  • To make state laws