Topic 7 - POLS 206

Who elects the President of the United States?

The Electoral College — not the national popular vote.

How many separate elections occur for president?

51 separate elections (50 states + D.C.), all held on the same day in November.

What do voters actually vote for in November?

They vote for a slate of electors pledged to their chosen party’s presidential candidate.

When and where do electors cast their votes?

In December, at their state capitals.

How are electoral votes allocated to each state?

One for each U.S. Senator (2) plus one for each U.S. House member.

What is the minimum number of electoral votes a state can have?

Three (two senators + one representative).

How many total electoral votes exist?

538 (435 House + 100 Senate + 3 for D.C.).

What is the purpose of the decennial census?

To reapportion House seats (and thus electoral votes) based on population changes.

How does a state decide how to choose its electors?

Each state legislature decides the method (Article II, Section 1).

What system do nearly all states use?

Winner-take-all — all of a state’s electors go to the candidate with the most votes in that state.

Is winner-take-all required by the Constitution?

No — it’s a party decision, not a constitutional mandate.

How many electoral votes are required to win the presidency?

270 of 538 (an absolute majority).

What happens if no candidate wins 270 votes?

• The House elects the President (each state = 1 vote, majority = 26).

• The Senate elects the Vice President (each senator = 1 vote, majority = 51).

Who presides over the counting of electoral votes?

The Vice President during a joint session of Congress in January (ceremonial role).

What is popular sovereignty?

The idea that political authority ultimately rests with the people.

What three principles support popular sovereignty?

• Political freedom

• Political equality

• Majority rule

What is the conflict among democratic principles?

Maximizing one often reduces another (e.g., majority rule vs. minority rights).

Did the framers intend the Electoral College to be democratic?

No — they distrusted direct democracy and feared majority tyranny.

What were the framers’ practical reasons for creating it?

• Poor communication & transportation in the 18th century

• Limited public knowledge of national candidates

• Desire for state-based representation and informed electors

Which democratic principles does the Electoral College violate?

• Always violates political equality

• Sometimes violates majority rule

What is a “faithless elector”?

An elector who votes contrary to their pledge.

How common are faithless electors?

Very rare (18 total cases; 7 in 2016, none in 2020 or 2024).

Have faithless electors ever changed an election outcome?

No

What did Chiafalo v. Washington (2020) decide?

States may legally require electors to vote for the candidate they pledged to support.

Why do small states have disproportionate voting power?

Each state gets two extra electoral votes for its senators, regardless of population size.

What happens if the election goes to the House?

Each state gets one vote — further violating political equality.

In how many elections has the Electoral College chosen the popular vote loser?

Six times — 1824, 1876, 1888, 1960, 2000, 2016.

Why can the Electoral College choose the popular vote loser?

Built-in biases from aggregating votes by state (not due to faithless electors).

What are the two key biases?

• Large-state bias: Winning a few big states narrowly can yield 270 EVs with <50% votes.

• Small-state bias: Small states’ overrepresentation helps some candidates (e.g., Bush in 2000).

How did Bush benefit from small-state bias in 2000?

Won 13 small states with 4.2M votes → 54 EVs, same as California’s 54 EVs, which took 5.9M votes.

What are the main Electoral College reform proposals?

• Direct Election

• Proportional Plan

• District Plan

What is direct election?

Counting all votes nationwide; candidate with most votes wins.

Advantages of direct election?

Ensures majority rule and political equality.

Disadvantages of direct election?

• Requires constitutional amendment

• Runoff or instant-runoff may be needed to ensure a majority

What is the National Popular Vote Compact?

An agreement among states to award electoral votes to the national popular vote winner (unlikely to succeed).

What is the proportional plan?

Each state awards its electoral votes in proportion to the popular vote within that state.

Pros and cons of the proportional plan?

• Pro: Closer link between votes and EVs

• Con: Likely to send elections to the House (no clear majority); hurts state influence.

What is the district plan?

Each congressional district awards 1 electoral vote; 2 statewide votes go to the statewide winner.

Which states use the district plan?

Maine (since 1972) and Nebraska (since 1996).

What is a drawback of the district plan?

Still prone to distorting majority rule; Obama likely would have lost in 2012 under this plan.

Which plan best achieves majority rule and political equality?

Direct Election (only one that meets both).

Which plan performs worst?

Proportional Plan — often leads to no majority, sending election to the House.