Chapter 13
Section 5
pp. 377-384
The Election
Guided Reading and Review
Electoral College
- voters in each State vote for electors for a
party’s presidential and V.P. candidates,
and each State’s votes are awarded on a
winner-take-all basis
- The winner of the national popular vote
may not win the electoral vote.
Example of the flaw
State #1 – 10 Electoral votes
State #2 – 5 Electoral votes
State #3 – 7 Electoral votes
Popular votes for Candidate A
- state #1 – 2,500
- state #2 – 2,000
- state #3 – 3,000
Popular votes for Candidate B
- state #1 – 5,000
- state #2 – 1,000
- state #3 – 2,500
Electoral votes for:
Candidate A – 12
Candidate B – 7
Popular vote – 7,500
Popular vote – 8,500
District Plan
- Two electors would be chosen from each
State at large and would cast their votes in
accordance with the statewide popular
vote.
- The winner of the popular vote may not win
the electoral vote.
Proportional plan
- candidates would receive the same % of a
state’s electoral vote as they receive in the
State’s popular vote
- The election may not produce a clear
winner, third parties would gain power
Direct Popular Election
- President and VP would be elected by
popular vote – No electoral vote
- requires a Constitutional amendment,
would weaken federalism, small states
would oppose it.
National Bonus Plan
- Electoral votes would be as they are now. A
national poll of 102 electoral votes would
be awarded automatically to the winner of
the popular vote.
- This plan is not well known or understood
Winner of popular vote fails to win
electoral vote for President
1824, 1876, 1888, 2000
Electorate
- the mass of people who actually cast votes