ELECTORAL COLLEGE FACT SHEET
-
A
COMPROMISE BETWEEN THOSE AT THE CONVENTION WHO FELT THAT CONGRESS SHOULD CHOOSE
THE PRESIDENT AND THOSE WHO FELT THE PEOPLE SHOULD ELECT THE PRESIDENT
-
FAIL
SAFE MECHANISM - BASIC DISTRUST OF THE PEOPLE
o
MANY
FELT THAT THE PEOPLE WERE INCAPABLE OF EXERCISING AN INTELLIGENT VOTE
-
NOT
A PHYSICAL ENTITY
-
ELECTORAL
COLLEGE MEMBERS WILL MEET IN THEIR RESPECTIVE STATE CAPITALS AND CAST THEIR
VOTES FOR THE CANDIDATE WHO WON THE POPULAR VOTE IN THE STATE ON THE MONDAY
AFTER THE 2ND WEDNESDAY IN DECEMBER
-
WINNER
TAKE ALL CONCEPT
o THE CANDIDATE WHO WINS THE POPULAR VOTE OF A
STATE WILL WIN ALL OF THE ELECTORAL VOTES
-
UNIT
RULE
o
THE ELECTORS OF A STATE DELEGATION WILL VOTE
AS A UNIT (AS ONE) WHEN CASTING THEIR VOTES FOR PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT
o
CAN
CAUSE A PROBLEM OF THE UNFAITHFUL ELECTOR
§
AN ELECTORAL WHO CASTS A VOTE FOR A CANDIDATE
OTHER THAN THE ONE WHO HAS WON THE POPULAR VOTE IN THE STATE
-
THE
12TH AMENDMENT CHANGED THE PROCEDURE FOR CASTING VOTES FOR THE PRESIDENT
o
ELECTORAL
VOTERS WILL CAST SEPARATE BALLOTS FOR PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT
o
THE
CONSTITUTION (NEVER ANTICIPATING THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLITICAL PARTIES) STATED
THAT THE CANDIDATE WHO RECEIVED A MAJORITY
OF THE ELECTORAL VOTES WILL BE PRESIDENT AND THE NEXT HIGHEST ELECTORAL
VOTE-GETTER WILL BE VICE PRESIDENT
o
THE
ELECTIONS OF 1796 AND 1800 AFFECTED THE PASSAGE OF THIS AMENDMENT
-
A
MAJORITY TODAY CONSISTS OF 270 ELECTORAL VOTES
-
COMPOSITION OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE
o
435
- WHICH REPRESENTS THE NUMBER OF REPRESENTATIVES
o
100
- WHICH REPRESENTS THE NUMBER OF SENATORS
o
3
- WHICH REPRESENTS THE VOTES AFFORDED
o
THIS
NUMBER COULD ONLY CHANGE WITH THE ADMISSION OF AN ADDITIONAL STATE OR STATES
-
THE
ELECTORAL COLLEGE HAS ONLY FAILED TO CAST A MAJORITY VOTE 2 TIMES
o
THE
ELECTIONS OF 1800 AND 1824
-
MINORITY
PRESIDENT
o
A PRESIDENT WHO SECURES A MAJORITY OF
ELECTORAL VOTES BUT FAILS TO ACHIEVE A MAJORITY OF POPULAR VOTES
-
MAJOR
ADVANTAGE
o
THE
ELECTORAL COLLEGE HAS MAINTAINED THE TWO PARTY SYSTEM
§
COALITION
GOVERNMENT WILL NOT RESULT BECAUSE THERE IS ALWAYS A CLEAR CUT MAJORITY
§
THIS
PROMOTES POLITICAL STABILITY
-
MAJOR
DISADVANTAGE
o
TECHNICALLY THE PEOPLE DO NOT ELECT THE
PRESIDENT
-
IF NO CANDIDATE
SECURES A MAJORITY OF ELECTORAL VOTES, THE NAMES OF THE TOP 3 VOTE-GETTERS WILL
BE PLACED ON A BALLOT IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND VOTING WILL TAKE
PLACE UNTIL A CANDIDATE SECURES A MAJORITY VOTE (26) EACH STATE REGARDLESS OF
SIZE WILL RECEIVE 1 VOTE.
PROPOSED CHANGES IN
THE METHOD OF ELECTING THE PRESIDENT
-
DIRECT
NATIONAL ELECTION
o ELIMINATES THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE BY CERTIFYING
THAT THE WINNER OF THE GENERAL ELECTION WILL BE THE NEXT PRESIDENT
-
PROPORTIONAL
PLAN
o WOULD
ALLOCATE ELECTORAL VOTES ACCORDING TO THE PERCENTAGE OF POPULAR VOTES WON BY A CANDIDATE IN A
-
DISTRICT
PLAN
o WOULD
ALLOCATE ELECTORAL VOTES BASED UPON THE NUMBER OF CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS WON
BY A CANDIDATE IN A
-
BONUS
PLAN
o -
WOULD ALLOCATE 102 ELECTORAL VOTES TO THE CANDIDATE
WHO SECURES THE POPULAR VOTE THUS ELIMINATING THE POSSIBILITY OF A MINORITY
PRESIDENT
o 538 +
102 = 640 (MAJORITY - 321)
N.B. ALTHOUGH
THE PROPOSALS ALL SEEM TO BE MORE DEMOCRATIC AND EQUITABLE THEY WOULD IN FACT
BE MORE UNDEMOCRATIC IN THAT IT WOULD ALLOW FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 3RD PARTIES
WHICH IN TURN WOULD MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR A CANDIDATE TO GET A MAJORITY
AND CAUSING THE ELECTION TO BE THROWN
INTO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES