Elections Quiz- Electoral College – Flashcards

Individuals selected in each state to officially cast the state's electoral votes

True

Each state determines their own manner of selection

All but 2- 48 states (Maine and Nebraska award electors based on the statewide vote AND the vote in each of the state's congressional districts)

When you vote, you are really voting for a panel of electors who pledge to cast their ballot for the state winning candidate.

In December, the electors gather in their respective state capitols to cast ballots for president and vice president In January, congress convenes, opens the ballots received from each state, and announces the official outcome

A candidate needs at least 270 electoral votes (which is a majority)

The House selects the president from among the three presidential candidates with the most electoral votes. Each state delegation has one vote. The Senate selects the vice president from the top two vice-presidential candidates

True This happened to: Bush over Gore; Benjamin Harrison over Grover Cleveland; and Rutherford B Hayes over Samuel Tilden

1) a President can be elected with only a minority of the popular vote. 2) The Electoral College system distorts the presidential campaign by causing the candidates to focus on swing states where voting stakes and possible electoral votes are high 3) Makes it very hard for third parties to win elections and almost impossible for a third party to win the presidency

1) The Electoral College forces candidates to win not just a majority, but a super-majority. They can't just win a majority of individual votes; they have to win a majority of votes in a majority of states 2) The Electoral College creates a clear winner in cases where the popular vote is very close. 3) The Electoral College forces candidates to pay attention to all voters. They can't just focus on a few big cities. They have to win entire states 4) The Electoral College has led to the development of two political parties that strive for broad appeal. Most other democracies have dozens of parties, many with very narrow agendas.

the popular acceptance of a government and its officials as rightful authorities in the exercise of power

1) eliminate electors but still count electoral votes 2) Select electors based on the proportion of the vote each candidate gets in each state 3) Select electors by congressional districts with two electors chosen at large in each state 4) Choose the president by direct popular election

-Amending the Constitution is not easy -Small states would be opposed to reform because they benefit from the current system -Groups that are concentrated in states with large numbers of electoral votes (such as Cuban Americans, Jewish Americans, urban residents, etc.) would be opposed to reform because it would diminish their influence

15. 13+2 senators = 15 electoral college votes

No, as long as the candidate wins the state

Every state gets at least three electoral votes regardless of its population. As a result, small states such as Alaska, Wyoming, and South Dakota enjoy a great percentage of electoral votes than they would merit based strictly on population