For sykes, who represents her hometown city of akron, changing the system has less to do with partisanship than with recognizing a history that still resonates today. Answers will vary based on where the student lives. Volume 4, issue 3 should the electoral college count. Through 2016, there have been 58 presidential elections. Created in 1787 by the framers of the constitution, the college is not a place, but instead the. This election result is sometimes referred to, particularly by proponents of electoral college reform, as a wrong. The racial history of the electoral college pbs newshour. The electoral college has been divisive since day one. Electoral college system this is not alw ays the case. While the constitution requires the house and senate to formally count the certificates of election in joint session, it is silent on what congress should do to resolve disputes.
First, the popular vote winner may lose the electoral college, confounding many americans notion of fairness and potentially delegitimizing presidential power. The constitution assigns each state a number of electors equal to. United states presidential election maps wikimedia commons. Critics often try to use these as examples of what can go wrong. How it works in contemporary presidential elections congressional research service 2 of this eventuality, which occurred previously in 1876, 1888, and 2000. The electoral college was created by the framers of the u. In 2016, donald trump won the electoral vote 304 to clintons 227, while his opponent, hillary clinton, won the popular vote 65,853,514 to trumps 62,94,828. Operating our presidential contest as 50 state elections and one in the district of columbia means candidates have to be more attentive to minority interests, including rural interests, than they would otherwise be. An interactive version of each map is also available, letting you change history. Nov 03, 2016 the history of the electoral college in the united states involves everything from bribery to civil war, but the people creating it thought they were producing a system that guaranteed the people. Similarly, further details on the history and current functioning of the electoral college are available in the second edition of congressional quarterlys guide to u.
History of the electoral college how the electoral college. The electoral college and the framers distrust of democracy. Each state has as many electors in the electoral college as it has representatives and senators in the united states congress, and the district of columbia has three electors. The electoral college is a body of electors established by the united states constitution, which forms every four years for the sole purpose of electing the president and vice president of the united states.
Students will view a video about the structure of the electoral college, learn about north carolinas importance in the 2016 presidential election, and participate in an electoral college simulation. Kellykun 24242 msu honors college kya3g5 radio stations clint taylor featured software all software latest this just in old school emulation msdos games historical software classic pc games software library. To abolish the electoral college in favor of a nationwide popular election for president would strike at. The process of choosing an elector to vote for the president instead of you choosing the next president through your own vote is part of a system called the electoral college. The electoral college has evolved since its establishment in 1787. This file is licensed under the creative commons attributionshare alike 4.
This page links to the results of those historical elections, including a larger map, results and synopsis of the race. The electoral college is a national issue that is still debated. History of the electoral college how the electoral. National elections are decided by the electoral college, thus the popular vote does not mean anything constitutionally or legally.
Electoral college, the system by which the president and vice president of the united states are chosen. From it we learn the structure and function of the electoral college, and which aspects. In january 1877, congress established the federal electoral commission to investigate the disputed electoral college ballots. It was devised by the framers of the united states constitution to provide a method of election that was feasible, desirable, and consistent with a republican form of government. At the time, some politicians believed a purely popular election was too reckless and would give too much voting power to highly populated areas in which people were familiar with a presidential candidate. The fec has no jurisdiction over the electoral college. This file contains additional information such as exif metadata which may have been added by the digital camera, scanner, or software program used to create or digitize it. The system is outlined in article ii, section 1 of the constitution. The evolution of the electoral college behind the scenes. To get rid of the electoral college, a change would have to be made to the constitution. The electoral college is comprised of 538 electors each state is allotted a number of electors equal to the number of its u. This has led some to question why americans use this system to. Constitutional amendments have been written to improve it, and over time states have altered the ways they have implemented it. The electoral college nc essential standards for american.
The guest talked about his new book, our constitution, published by oxford university press and written for high. The manner of choosing electors from the outset, and to this day, the manner of choosing its states. The first test of the electoral college system was the election of 1800 when both thomas jefferson and his r unning mate, aaron burr. More information on this publication is available at this link to the american enterprise institute. The short answer is the founding fathers aka the framers of the constitution. In january 1877, congress established the federal electoral commission to. Students will then evaluate issues of fairness and representation with regard to the electoral college. Your turn to count page 102 and the winner is burns. Five times in history, presidential candidates have won the popular vote but lost the electoral college. Still, the two systems are similar in design and share many of the same advantages and disadvantages.
But if credit is to be given to one person, its often attributed to james wilson of pennsylvania, who proposed the idea prior to the committee of eleven making the recommendation. Number of representatives elected president slate of party electors. The electoral college system was established under article ii and amendment 12 of the u. The constitution explains the electoral college system. It is these electors, chosen by the people, who elect the chief executive. There have also been a few curious incidents which its critics cite as problems but which proponents of the electoral college view as merely its natural and intended operation. Opponents further argue that the electoral college has antidemocratic tendencies that are incompatible with our current views on voting equality. Sep 23, 2008 this website about the united states electoral college from the national archives is an excellent resource for both students and teachers.
Emphasizes federalism and depreciates democracy the winner of the popular vote at the national level does not necessarily win the electoral college. Arguments for the electoral college the gilder lehrman. In the age of social media, mobile polling, and a 24hour news cycle, the electoral college might seem oldfashioned. And while the electoral college is not a flawless system, it has passed. The electoral college overview in this lesson, students will examine the purpose, function, origin, and historical development of the electoral college in order to gain a better understanding of how americans elect the president.
The electoral college was an important part of their attempt to limit the influence of democracy on american government. The electoral college and the framers distrust of democracy james p. The national archives and records administration nara is the federal agency responsible for coordinating activities of states and congress regarding the electoral college vote for president. Students will view a video about the structure of the electoral college, learn about north carolinas importance in the 2016 presidential election, and participate in. Firsthand highlights from the election of thomas jefferson to george w. It is part of a larger collection of essays entitled after the people vote. The troubling reason the electoral college exists time. The popular vote still seems to be a popular idea for national elections. It is, instead, how the united states actually elects its president. The history of the electoral college in the united states involves everything from bribery to civil war, but the people creating it thought they were producing a system that guaranteed the people. Some have argued especially after losing an election that the electoral college should be banned and we should use the popular vote. But the fundamentals of the system have remained mostly intact. The electoral college process california historysocial.
In each state, the voters choose electors to select the president and vice president of the united states. Pfiffner and jason hartke school of public policy george mason university may 2002 abstract in popular discourse and in the press it is often asserted or assumed that the main reason that the framers adopted the electoral college was that they feared that if the. Overall, the electoral college includes 538 electors, 535 for the total number of congressional members, and three who represent washington, d. The electoral college primer, for example, notes in passing that. Representatives plus its two senators washington, d. Contrary to popular belief, the electoral college has nothing to do with electricity and is not an institution of higher learning. The history of the electoral college my election helper. An electoral college is a set of electors who are selected to elect a candidate to a particular office.
The constitutional electoral college the first iteration of the electoral college was used to select the first four presidents of the united states. Exploring the electoral college overview in this lesson, students will learn about the history and structure of the electoral college. The electoral college was established in article ii of the united states constitution. The concept of the electoral college has been a part of the united states electoral system since the ratification of the constitution. Using historical sources and precedents, experts debate both sides. In this engaging lecture and activity students will be able to discuss the electoral college and different reform plans suggested.
The quirks of the electoral college system were exposed this week when donald trump secured the presidency with an electoral college majority, even as hillary clinton took a. The electoral college process california history social science project what is the electoral college. The electoral college and the american idea of democracy. Constitution as a compromise for the presidential election process. The electoral college process california historysocial science project what is the electoral college. When americans vote for president and vice president of the united states, they are actually voting for presidential electors, known collectively as the electoral college. Presidential elections take place every four years.
History of the electoral college smithsonians history. Kids learn about the electoral college and how it elects the president of the united states government including how electors are chosen from each state, who can be a delegate, and the pros and cons of the system. Permission is granted to copy, distribute andor modify this document under the terms of the gnu free documentation license, version 1. History of the electoral college smithsonians history explorer. One suggestion was to have the congress choose the president. To view maps and results from all prior presidential elections on a single page, see. The electoral college wisconsin elections commission.
In the united states, the president is elected through the electoral college system. A third suggestion was to elect the president by a direct popular vote. The electoral college is an example of an indirect election of a candidate for president. Constitution, the electoral college is the formal body which elects the president and vice president of the united states. In the evolution of the electoral college, there have been some interesting developments and remarkable outcomes. The evolution of the electoral college is, in one sense, only a small part of the story of the transformation of the fundamental principle of american government from liberty to democracy. Was the electoral college designed as a proslavery ploy to place undue influence in the hands of slaveholding states. Nov 21, 2016 the electoral college has been divisive since day one. The 14th amendment was ratified and had a big impact on the electoral college. A directory of resources for better understanding of the electoral college and its history. This website about the united states electoral college from the national archives is an excellent resource for both students and teachers.
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