What are the problems with the Electoral College?
Problems with the Electoral College. Many observers believe the Electoral College introduces complications and potential problems into our political system. These concerns include some of the following: Grossly unequal distribution of campaign resources. Unequal voting power depending on where you live. Looking at the Numbers: Minority Rules.
How can the House override the Electoral College?
There is absolutely no way at all for the House to “override” the electoral college if one candidate has received a majority. The U.S. House of Representatives has no power to “override” the Electoral College in its choices for president and vice president, as long as the Electoral College gives at least 270 votes to one candidate.
Is the Electoral College good or bad for Democracy?
The Electoral College routinely threatens or produces perverse outcomes, where the will of the voters is thwarted by an ill-considered 18th-century electoral device. It has no place in a democracy ...
What to expect from the Electoral College?
Under the Electoral College system, the constitution and federal law delegates the process of selecting presidential electors and certifying those results to the states.
How are electors chosen?
In a smaller number of states, electors are chosen by a vote of the state party’s central committee. Either way, political parties usually choose people whom ...
What Happens on Election Day?
On Election Day, when Americans vote for the presidential and vice presidential candidates of a political party, they are actually voting for the slate of electors who have pledged to cast their votes for that party. Electors’ names may or may not appear on the ballot beneath the names of the candidates, depending on the election rules and the format of the ballots in each state.
How many faithless voters have ever voted?
Faithless electors have never decided an election, and more than 99 percent of electors in U.S. history have voted as they pledged to do. But as recently as 2016, seven electors broke with their state on the presidential ballot, and six did so on the vice presidential ballot. Some of these faithless electors were replaced or fined for their rogue votes, but their votes did not affect the election’s outcome.
How many states have laws that bind voters?
At the time of the Court’s decision, 32 states had passed laws that bind electors, while 18 states had laws on the books giving electors the freedom to vote independently—ensuring that in more ways than one, the Electoral College could continue to provide drama for the foreseeable future.
What was the result of the electoral college?
The result of this struggle was the Electoral College, the system by which the American people vote not for president and vice president, but for a smaller group of people, known as electors. These electors then cast their votes directly for president and vice president, at a meeting held several weeks after the general election.
How many votes do you need to win the White House?
senator and representative and three electors representing the District of Columbia, and presidential candidates need a majority of 270 votes to win the White House. Most of the time— but not always —the winner of the Electoral College is also the winner of the popular vote.
Why did the founding fathers believe in direct election?
Others argued that a straightforward popular vote was unfair, as it would give too much power to larger, more populous states. They also worried that public opinion could be too easily manipulated, and feared direct election might lead to a tyrannical leader determined to grab absolute power for himself.
How many people are in the electoral college?
The electoral college is a confusing process. On its face, it seems pretty unfair: 538 electors, individuals selected before the election, ultimately cast ballots for who will become president and vice president of the United States. In practice, the system is much more fair and balanced, but it would still be pretty cool to count yourself as one of the handful of U.S. citizens who get to "decide" the election. If you want to become an elector, however, know the process is more complex than just a random draw.
When do electors become elected?
Electors are selected before the general vote, and they only become official electors if the ticket to which they are "pledged" wins the popular vote within their specific jurisdiction. For example, if you've been named an elector-candidate in a state and are pledged to the Clinton-Kaine ticket, but Trump-Pence wins in the state, you won't be an elector for the state.
Can you be an elector before the general election?
Normally, however, that is not the case. Electors are selected before the general vote, and they only become official electors if the ticket to which they are "pledged" wins the popular vote within their specific jurisdiction. For example, if you've been named an elector-candidate in a state and are pledged to the Clinton-Kaine ticket, ...
Who are the electors?
The process varies according to the state, but as The Huffington Post points out, electors are usually named at state conventions, and they typically are "state-elected officials, party leaders, or people with a strong affiliation with the Presidential candidates.".
How does the presidential election process work?
Generally, the parties either nominate slates of potential electors at their State party conventions or they chose them by a vote of the party's central committee. This happens in each State for each party by whatever rules the State party and (sometimes) the national party have for the process. This first part of the process results in each Presidential candidate having their own unique slate of potential electors.
What is the National Association of Secretaries of State?
The National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) has compiled a brief summary of State laws about the various procedures, which vary from State to State, for selecting slates of potential electors and for conducting the meeting of the electors. You can download the document, " Summary: State Laws Regarding Presidential Electors ," from ...
How do the states elect their electors?
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.
How many electors does Nebraska have?
In Nebraska and Maine, the State winner receives two electors and the winner of each congressional district (who may be the same as the overall winner or a different candidate) receives one elector. This system permits Nebraska and Maine to award electors to more than one candidate.
Why do political parties choose slates?
Political parties often choose individuals for the slate to recognize their service and dedication to that political party. They may be State elected officials, State party leaders, or people in the State who have a personal or political affiliation with their party's Presidential candidate. (For specific information about how slates of potential electors are chosen, contact the political parties in each State.)
What does the vote do in the general election?
During the general election your vote helps determine your State’s electors. When you vote for a Presidential candidate, you aren’t actually voting for President. You are telling your State which candidate you want your State to vote for at the meeting of electors. The States use these general election results (also known as the popular vote) to appoint their electors. The winning candidate’s State political party selects the individuals who will be electors.
What is a state certificate of ascertainment?
Each State's Certificates of Ascertainment confirms the names of its appointed electors. A State's certification of its electors is generally sufficient to establish the qualifications of electors.
What is the certificate of ascertainment?
After the general election, your Governor prepares a Certificate of Ascertainment listing the names of all the individuals on the slates for each candidate. The Certificate of Ascertainment also lists the number of votes each individual received and shows which individuals were appointed as your State's electors. Your State’s Certificate of Ascertainment is sent to NARA as part of the official records of the Presidential election.
How many electors are there in the US?
The Electoral College consists of 538 electors. A majority of 270 electoral votes is required to elect the President. Your State has the same number of electors as it does Members in its Congressional delegation: one for each Member in the House of Representatives plus two Senators.
How many electoral votes are allocated in the District of Columbia?
Read more about the allocation of electoral votes. The District of Columbia is allocated 3 electors and treated like a State for purposes of the Electoral College under the 23rd Amendment of the Constitution. For this reason, in the following discussion, the word “State” also refers to the District of Columbia and “Governor” to the Mayor ...
Where is the Certificate of Vote sent?
Your State’s Certificate of Vote is sent to Congress, where the votes are counted, and NARA, as part of the official records of the Presidential election. Each State’s electoral votes are counted in a joint session of Congress on the 6th of January in the year following the meeting of the electors. Members of the House and Senate meet in ...
When do the electors meet?
The meeting of the electors takes place on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December after the general election. The electors meet in their respective States, where they cast their votes for President and Vice President on separate ballots. Your State’s electors’ votes are recorded on a Certificate of Vote, which is prepared at the meeting by the electors. Your State’s Certificate of Vote is sent to Congress, where the votes are counted, and NARA, as part of the official records of the Presidential election.
Which states have a winner take all system?
Most States have a “winner-take-all” system that awards all electors to the Presidential candidate who wins the State's popular vote. However, Maine and Nebraska each have a variation of “proportional representation.” Read more about the allocation of electors among the States.
When is the election held?
The general election is held every four years on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. When you vote for a Presidential candidate you are actually voting for your candidate's preferred electors. Learn more about voting for the electors.
What Exactly Is the Electoral College?
It's a process where 538 electors meet and cast their ballots to elect the president and vice president of the United States.
How Are the Electoral Votes Distributed Among States?
The Constitution requires each state to have electors equal to its congressional representation. This means each state gets votes equal to the number of its congressional delegates and senators. The number of electors a state receives depends on its population. California, for example, has 55 electoral votes, while Alaska only has three.
Is the Electoral Process the Same in All States?
Maine and Nebraska follow a different approach to how they apportion electoral votes. These two states give electoral votes by congressional district. They do, however, reserve two additional votes to the winner. The remaining 48 states follow a "winner-takes-all "approach where they allocate all the electoral votes to the winner regardless of how close the votes were.
Does the Electoral College Work?
In the majority of the presidential elections, the electoral college and the popular votes have been in alignment. However, there were some instances where the president lost the popular vote and won the electoral college. The most recent ones were George W. Bush in 2000 and Donald Trump in 2016.
What Happens If Both Contenders Get the Same Number of Electors?
An electoral college tie is very rare. But, there is a possibility of a tie if both candidates each get 269 votes. If that happens, It requires a c ontingent presidential election and the president will be chosen by a simple majority in the House of Representatives as outlined under the 12th amendment .
Was Your Right to Vote Violated?
The right to vote is a fundamental right and core to the democratic process. If your right to vote has been violated, you may want to speak to an election law attorney. An attorney can help you understand your rights and take steps to protect them.
How often do you vote for the president?
Once every four years, eligible citizens vote to elect their candidate to be the next president of the United States. Despite what most people think, citizens do not vote for their chosen presidential candidate. Instead, they vote for the “slate of electors” who pledge to cast their votes on behalf of the citizens in the electoral college.
Do you have a question?
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How many electors do you need to vote for a candidate?
A candidate needs the vote of at least 270 electors—more than half of all electors—to win the presidential election. In most cases, a projected winner is announced on election night in November after you vote. But the actual Electoral College vote takes place in mid-December when the electors meet in their states.
What happens if no candidate receives the majority of electoral votes?
If no candidate receives the majority of electoral votes, the vote goes to the House of Representatives. House members choose the new president from among the top three candidates. The Senate elects the vice president from the remaining top two candidates.
How many electors do you need to win the presidential election?
A candidate needs the vote of at least 270 electors—more than half of all electors—to win the presidential election.
What is the purpose of the primaries and caucuses?
Though primaries and caucuses are run differently, they both serve the same purpose. They let the states choose the major political parties’ nominees for the general election.
What happens after you cast your ballot for president?
After you cast your ballot for president, your vote goes to a statewide tally. In 48 states and Washington, D.C., the winner gets all the electoral votes for that state. Maine and Nebraska assign their electors using a proportional system.
What do caucus members do?
In caucuses, party members meet, discuss, and vote for who they think would be the best party candidate. In primaries, party members vote in a state election for the candidate they want to represent them in the general election.
What happens when you vote for a Republican?
By voting for a Republican presidential candidate, for example, you are really voting for a member of the Electoral College who is expected — but not required — to vote along party lines, too.
Why did the 18th century use Tuesday as the day to vote?
In the 18th century, when America first asked citizens to cast their ballots, its largely rural population needed a couple of days in the saddle to reach a polling place. As Sunday was mainly for church, Monday would not allow enough time to ride to the poll station, so Tuesday became the natural choice for voting. As for November? It made perfect sense for an agrarian society whose members were enjoying the lull between harvest and heavy snowfall [source: Grier ].
What is an elector?
Usually, electors are people who are politically active in their party (be it Democrat, Green, Libertarian, Republican or Independent) or connected to the political arena . This includes political activists, party leaders, elected officials of the state and even people who have personal or political ties to the presidential candidates.
How is an elector nominated?
In general, though, the two most common ways are: The elector is nominated by his or her state party committee (perhaps to reward many years of service to the party). The elector campaigns for a spot and the decision is made during a vote held at the state's party convention.
Does the Constitution mention electoral college?
And while the Constitution makes no mention of qualifications that must be met to become an Electoral College member, it does determine an Electoral College member cannot be:
How many electoral votes did Trump get in 2016?
John Kasich and ex-Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, a libertarian star. Trump should have won 306 electoral votes but wound up with 304 instead.
How do electors get picked?
How electors get picked varies by state, but in general state parties file slates of names for who the electors will be. They include people with ties to those state parties, like current and former party officials, state lawmakers and party activists.
How many electors are there in the US?
There are 538 electors, one for each U.S. senator and U.S. representative, plus three for Washington, D.C., which gets three electoral votes in the presidential election even though it has no voting representation in Congress. The number of electors has changed through history as the number of elected members of Congress has changed with ...
How has the number of electors changed through history?
The number of electors has changed through history as the number of elected members of Congress has changed with the country's expansion and population growth.
What is the meaning of loyalty in the election?
It begins and ends with loyalty — loyalty to state and national parties. That in part is how the candidates are all but guaranteed to have the electors' votes match the ballots cast by regular people in general election voting in each state.
How many people have shown fidelity to the state's popular vote results?
While there have been people who stray from the will of the voters before, historically 99% have shown fidelity to the state's popular vote results.
Who did David Mulinix vote for in 2016?
Hawaii elector David Mulinix cast a vote for Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Electoral College. He was required by law to vote for Hillary Clinton. In 2016, seven went against the popular vote in their states. That was the most since 1972 and the first time there were any faithless electors since 2004.
What Is The Process?
How Many Electors Are there? How Are They Distributed Among The States?
- The Electoral College consists of 538 electors. A majority of 270 electoral votes is required to elect the President. Your State has the same number of electors as it does Members in its Congressional delegation: one for each Member in the House of Representatives plus two Senators. Read more about the allocation of electoral votes. The District of Columbia is allocate…
What Happens in The General Election? Why Should I Vote?
- The general election is held every four years on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. When you vote for a Presidential candidate you are actually voting for your candidate's preferred electors. Learn more about voting for the electors. Most States have a “winner-take-all” system that awards all electors to the Presidential candidate who wins the State's popular vote. Howeve…
What Happens After The General Election?
- After the general election, your Governor prepares a Certificate of Ascertainment listing the names of all the individuals on the slates for each candidate. The Certificate of Ascertainment also lists the number of votes each individual received and shows which individuals were appointed as your State's electors. Your State’s Certificate of Ascerta...