POLITICAL PARTIES AND ELECTIONS

I35013 Hu Xiaobo

Discussion Questions

In the 2000 American presidential election,the candidate who obtained more popular votes lost the bid for the office of presidency beacuse he came short in terms of electoral votes.Do you think the current system of electing American president is basically flawed? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the current Electoral College system?

Brief Introduction

The Electoral College Introduction&Problems

Examples:2000 American presidential election,etc.

Why Keep the Electoral College? Advantages&Disadvantages

My take

The Electoral College

Established in Article II of the Constitution and amended by the 12th Amendment in 1804.

Who really elects the President of the United States?

When you vote for a presidential candidate you are really voting to instruct the electors from your state to cast their votes for the same candidate.

For example, if you vote for the Republican candidate, you are really voting for an elector who will be "pledged" to vote for the Republican candidate. The candidate who wins the popular vote in a state wins all the pledged votes of the state's electors.(winner-take-all method)

538 total votes in the Electoral College and a presidential candidate must win a majority -- 270 -- electoral votes to be elected.

The Electoral College

Any Problem Here?A candidate actually losing the nationwide popular vote, but being elected president by the electoral vote.

It is possible for a candidate to not get a single person's vote -- not one -- in

39 states or the District of Columbia, yet be elected president by wining the popular vote in just 11 of these 12 states:

California,New York,Texas,Florida,Pennsylvania,Illinois,Ohio,Michigan,New Jersey,North Carolina,Georgia,Virginia

538 total votes in the Electoral College and a presidential candidate must win a majority -- 270 -- electoral votes to be elected. Since 11 of the 12 states in the chart above account for exactly 270 votes, a candidate could win these states, lose the other 39, and still be elected.

Has it Ever Happened?

The Electoral College

Four times! 1824 John Quincy Adams v. Andrew Jackson

In 1876 there were a total of 369 electoral votes available with 185 needed to win. Republican Rutherford B. Hayes, with 4,036,298 popular votes won 185 electoral votes. His main opponent, Democrat Samuel J. Tilden, won the popular vote with 4,300,590 votes, but won only 184 electoral votes. Hayes was elected president.

In 1888 there were a total of 401 electoral votes available with 201 needed to win. Republican Benjamin Harrison, with 5,439,853 popular votes won 233 electoral votes. His main opponent, Democrat Grover Cleveland, won the popular vote with 5,540,309 votes, but won only 168 electoral votes. Harrison was elected president.

2000 American presidential election

Is the system of electing president flawed?

Advantages

① Beware the Tyranny of the Majority The Founding Fathersfeared that placing unlimited power to elect the president into

the politically naive hands of the people could lead to a "tyranny of the majority."

② Prevention of victory solely based on urban regions.

People who are in favor of the Electoral College are claiming that the present system avoids a candidate from wining through solely focusing on areas that are heavily populated. The candidate should take a more extensive approach.

③ Enhances the status of minority interests, ④Contributes to the political stability of the nation by encouraging a two-party

system ⑤Maintains a federal system of government and representation -- the division and

sharing of powers between the state and national governments.

Disadvantages

1.The possibility of electing a minority president

2.The risk of so-called "faithless" Electors It happened in 1948, 1956, 1960, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1988, 2000 and 2004

3. States in bigger “swing” obtain the majority of attention.

In the majority of states, the candidate having the majority of votes acquires all the electoral votes of the state. A few states hold the history of voting consistently the Democrat or the Republican. Candidates might pay less attention to those states having more attention and clear favorites to big states without clear favorite.

4.The possible role of the Electoral College in depressing voter turnout

The Electoral College

My take: While there are many obvious problems with the current Electoral College

system it is very unlikely to change. In order to change the Electoral Colleg

e a constitutional amendment would need to be passed (ratified by ¾ of the states). The smaller states who are at the advantage have little reason to agree upon a change.