The U.S. Presidency

The U.S. Presidency

Constitutional Qualifications (Article II)

  • The Constitution outlines formal qualifications for presidency including:
    • Must be a natural born citizen
    • At least 35 years old
    • Must be a resident of the U.S. for at least 14 years

The Electoral College Process

  • An indirect method for electing the president:
    • Designed to address concerns about the electorate's ability to make informed votes.
    • Aims to prevent demagogues or tyrants from being elected.

How the Process Works

  • Each state has a specific number of electoral votes:
    • Equal to the sum of its representatives in the House and Senators in the Senate.
    • This allocation can change every ten years based on the Census.
    • Total of 538 electoral votes: 435 (House) + 100 (Senate) + 3 (DC).
    • A candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win (majority).

Election Day Mechanics

  • Registered voters cast their votes in November.
    • Voters effectively guide their state on where to allocate electoral votes.
    • To win a state’s electoral votes, a candidate must secure a plurality of the popular vote.
    • Most states use a "WINNER TAKE ALL" system, except Maine and Nebraska which utilize a proportional method.

Mid-December Procedures

  • Electors travel to their state capitals to cast their votes.
    • Electors are typically devoted party members or civic-minded individuals.
    • They are pledged to vote for their candidate.
    • Some states impose penalties for electors who are unfaithful, though this has never changed an election outcome.

Critiques of the Electoral College

  • Major Flaw: Possible for a candidate to win the national popular vote but lose the presidency due to not securing 270 electoral votes.
    • This has occurred five times, including in 2000 (Bush vs. Gore) and 2016 (Trump vs. Clinton).

Additional Concerns

  • The system disproportionately advantages states with more electoral votes.
    • A candidate could theoretically win the presidency by only securing votes from the states with the highest electoral counts, though this is highly unlikely.
    • Campaign strategies often focus on these larger electoral vote states.

Potential Benefits of the System

  • Candidates must reach a coalition across states, potentially moderating campaign promises and messaging.
    • However, rising political polarization and social media dynamics may diminish this effect.

Changing the System

  • Abolishing the electoral college requires a constitutional amendment, a complicated and lengthy process.
  • The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPV) is an alternative approach:
    • States can agree to allocate their electoral votes to the national popular vote winner.
    • Requires enough states (totaling 270 electoral votes) to pass such a law; currently, 15 states have implemented it (including California), but more are needed to reach 270.