AP Gov Electoral College essay topic
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Why does the electoral college exist?
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The framers created it because they feared the general public wouldn't make good decisions. They determine the election (only used during presidential election) It is also a tradition and custom.
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What are some criticisms against the electoral college?
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It is not a fair representation of the population because each state is guaranteed at least 3 votes (each popular vote in a smaller state may not represent the same number of people as in a bigger state). It also forces unbalanced campaigning activities (people campaign in the swing states rather than the big states because they know they can't/have already won that state)
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Reasons why people are against a direct election
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major parties fear it would give minor parties a more influential roll less populous states think they will be overwhelmed by the larger states' vote
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swing states
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Ohio, Florida, Wisconsin, Colorado, Oregon, Virginia, Pennsylvania
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4 times the 2nd place candidate has won the election by winning the electoral college when they loss the popular vote
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John Quincy Adams, Rutherford B. Hays, Benjamin Harrison, George W. Bush
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Maine and Nebraska
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2 states whose electoral votes are casted based on congressional districts rather than slate of legislatures
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total # of electors
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538
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# of electors that are members of the house
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438
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# of electors that are in the senate
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100
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t/f people vote for the president in the presidential election
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false--they vote for electors who will cast their vote accordingly
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the state number of electors=
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that state's number of senators (2) + its number of representatives
