And since the electors are committed to vote for the winning candidate in their state on the first ballot, the guy with the highest popular vote has always won the electoral college as well. Here are five things you should know about the electoral college. Dec 02, 2016 the electors themselves were chosen by popular election in the states on november 8, running as pledged to vote for one or another slate of candidates. The constitution doesnt actually say anything about how electors should be chosen. Faithless electors in the 2016 united states presidential. An explainer on their role in presidential elections. How the electoral college is supposed to work gopusa. What state laws bind electors at electoral college. When it was decided to let popular vote elect them, the obvious thing to do was to have a statewide election for. The evolution of the electoral college behind the scenes. Study 18 terms electoral college flashcards quizlet. Nov 21, 2016 the 2016 presidential election hasnt happened yet.
Constitutionally, all that took place on november 8, 2016, was the selection of presidential electors in accordance with each states chosen method for appointing such electors. Electors remain faithful to trump and select him as. Electors earn their positions through complicated and often random processes that differ from state to state and thats the source of the unrest plaguing the. Electoral college faqs secretary of state of colorado. For president trump, the best path for reelection is the exact same one that handed him the presidency in 2016. The house of representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several states, and the electors in each state shall have the qualifications requisite for. The voters are then actually voting for a slate of electors pledged to one candidate or another.
The electoral college members for each state are voted on by the state s residents on voting day. The electors themselves were chosen by popular election in the states on november 8, running as pledged to vote for one or another slate of candidates. Now, the constitutionality of such laws is up in the air. In the 2016 united states presidential election, ten members of the electoral college voted or attempted to vote for a candidate different from whom they were pledged. Every state gets a number of electors equivalent to the number of seats the state has in congress so that means. The first, that the electoral college violates the principle of one man, one vote, is rooted in the constitutional stipulation that each state appoint a number of electors.
Apr 27, 2020 in 2020, many political analysts think that wisconsin, where democrats will hold their national convention in 2020, could prove to be the tipping point state in a close election. Some state legislatures decided to choose the electors themselves. Each candidate running for president in your state has his or her own group of electors. The electoral college is made up of 538 electors from the all of the states.
In states with primary elections, each presidential candidate usually designates a slate of electors who then appear on the november ballot. 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. So even if obama won just the second congressional district, thats not how its thought about in the electoral college. The expectation, of course, is that they will vote for. How are electors of the electoral college selected to cast. Still, historical arguments often carry little weight against sound bites, so it is worthwhile to deal directly with three popular arguments against the electoral college. They decide how those electors are going to be chosen, how theyre going to be awarded. And initially, as one might expect, different states adopted different methods. Article two of the united states constitution simple. The electors are elected by popular vote in each state and each candidate for elector swears in.
The trouble with the electoral college politico magazine. Like members of congress, moreover, once chosen, an elector may vote according to his judgment exercised in light of facts then available. The supreme court has taken up a case from washington state on faithless electors, that is, electors who pledge to vote for somebody then vote for somebody else. Presidential electors part 3 utah state legislature. Mcmullin, or any other candidate, you voted for your states electoral college electors who. The real election happens about six weeks later, when 538 presidential electors most of them average citizens chosen by local party leaders meet in their respective state capitals and cast. For example, colorado is entitled to nine electors because it has two members of the u. From the outset, and to this day, the manner of choosing its state s electors was left to each state legislature. How donald trump could steal the election the atlantic. How are electors of the electoral college selected to cast a. The electors shall meet at the office of the secretary of state, in a room to be designated by him or her in the state capitol building, at the. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Why the electoral college will rubberstamp donald trump. Presidential electors a person elected by the voters to represent them in making a formal selection of the vice president and president.
All of the electors will be chosen from mccains slate or from the republican party. What electors are saying, and what will happen when. In some states, the electors names are printed on the ballots directly under the presidential candidates names or grouped by party somewhere else on the ballot. Early in the countrys history, electors in the majority of states were chosen by vote of the state legislature, not by the people directly. They almost always meet in person at the state capital.
The electors are generally chosen by the candidates political party, but state laws vary on how the electors are selected and what their responsibilities are. Electors faithful to trump, select him as official winner. His book presidential elections and majority rule, on which this. Presidential selection the electoral college flashcards. Every four years americans go to the polls to elect a president or at least they think they do. If the local constituent should have an interest, or should form an hasty opinion, evidently opposite to the real good of the rest of the community, the member for that place ought. According to article ii, section 1, clause 2 of the constitution, each state legislature determines the manner by which its states electors are chosen.
The state party conventions are usually held no later than june before the presidential election. Nov 06, 2016 it could all come down to the electoral college. Originally the legislatures just picked electors directly, although over the 19th century more and more states adopted the current system where. Electors are chosen in processes defined by state law, creating a patchwork of selection processes. Electors remain faithful to trump and select him as official winner. The constitution allows each state legislature to decide how they will choose electors. Each state determines how its electors are chosen by state law and the process varies from state to state. Jan 29, 2020 the supreme court has taken up a case from washington state on faithless electors, that is, electors who pledge to vote for somebody then vote for somebody else.
In defense of the electoral college national affairs. This movement, dubbed the hamilton electors, was cofounded by micheal baca of colorado and bret chiafalo of washington. Could 2 electors in washington state throw the election to. These electors play a major part in the outcome of the elections but do you know how are electors chosen.
According to article ii, section 1, clause 2 of the constitution, each state legislature determines the manner by which its state s electors are chosen. How does the popular vote affectinfluence the electoral. Dec 21, 2019 if a new resident of the state of nevada otherwise qualified to vote in another state in any election for president and vice president of the united states has commenced his or her residence in this state after the 30th day next preceding that election and for this reason does not satisfy the requirements for registration in this state, the new. Dec 28, 2015 the constitution gives the authority to determine how electors are chosen to each state s legislature. Constitution, the president and vice president are chosen by electors. The electors opens with a bang, literally, and a presidential election is turned upside down. Electoral college, the system by which the president and vice president of the united states are chosen. List of 2016 united states presidential electors wikipedia. If you want to watch the action live, check out our guide on how to watch the electoral college meet state by state. Foley is a professor of law at the ohio state university. Nov 30, 2019 10 speech to the electors of bristol edmund burke. You vote for the electors for your state who then elect the president.
Donald trump elected president by electoral college. Bret chiafalo and plaintiff michael baca were state electors who began the selfnamed hamilton electors movement in which they announced. The author is a political consultant who has been personally involved in several presidential elections. Each states number of electors is equal to the combined total of the states membership in the senate and house of representatives. The selection of electors by state legislatures remained common through 1820, when james monroe was elected to his second term of office. Once chosen, presidential electors also exercise federal functions. If all the electors vote as pledged, and assuming that recounts do not disturb the current tallies, mr. In the 2016 presidential election, 227 electors were female while the remaining 312 electors were male. In caucus states, the electors may be chosen at the state caucus. These electors are chosen by each party before the general elections. Why was the electoral college the system selected by the.
Charles carroll of maryland seconded him, and the 65 vote against the motion once again found all three deep south states voting nay. In most states, the candidate who wins the popular vote in a state wins the electors. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. An idea for electoral college reform that both parties.
These 538 men and women will actually vote for the individuals they think should become president and in a separate ballot vice president. To have the legislature choose the president would make him subordinate to it, morris complained, and so he ought instead to be chosen by electors to be chosen by the people of the several states. Any disputes within the states over electors must be resolved by december. Most if not all the worlds countries have an ongoing tension between more conservative rural people and more cosmopolitan urban people, with suburbs sort of in between. Jul 18, 2019 please please please take a civics class and find out what reality is and stop believing the lies from democrats and their major media lackeys. The movement attempted to find 37 republican electors willing to vote for a different republican. The electoral college members have to go through a selection process, too.
Each state s number of electors is equal to the combined total of the state s membership in the senate and house of representatives. I think it is because electors were at first appointed by the state legislature. The constitutional power of the electoral college public. The office of the secretary of state certifies the election results no later than dec 3, 2020. In 2020, many political analysts think that wisconsin, where democrats will hold their national convention in 2020, could prove to be the tipping point state in a close election. The electoral college is the group of people electors chosen from each state and the district of columbia to formally select the president and vice president. Since the 1820s, state legislatures have usually chosen electors through an indirect popular vote. Some texas electors wont vote for trump, and our founding fathers are probably ok with that. Some states are considering legislation that essentially bypasses the electoral college. Actually the popular vote should not influence the electoral college at all. C have laws requiring electors to vote for their state s popular vote winner. In some cases, state laws defer to political party bylaws to define how electors are chosen. Some texas electors wont vote for trump, and our founding.
Electors are actual human beings, with houses, children, jobs, and very occasionally, their own opinions. The electors is the best political thriller ive read in a long time, and it is written by someone who apparently knows what he is talking about when it comes to electoral politics. This is left to individual states, which can use any method they wantand they dont have to hold a general election. Do electors have to vote for candidate that won the state. Two washington state electors are now signaling that theyll refuse to vote for hillary clinton even if the voters hand her the state. The reckless gamble in our electoral system kindle edition by michener, james a.
Study 35 terms political science flashcards quizlet. He notes that electors were chosen by state legislatures until the 1830s. States are allocated electors based on their number of congressional legislators. Sometimes the individuals nominated at these state party conventions are recommended by party.
In most states, political parties determine their electors. The state convention of the party or group, by its chair and secretary, shall certify to the secretary of state the total list of electors together with electors at large so chosen. The electors, chosen by state parties of the candidate who carried each state, will convene in all 50 state capitals and the district. How are electors chosen for the us general election. While every state except nebraska and maine chooses the electors by statewide vote, many states require that one elector be designated for each congressional district. Electors remain faithful to trump and select him as official. The electors, chosen by state parties of the candidate who carried each state, convened in all 50 state capitals and the. Like candidates for congress, candidates for elector may make campaign promises. To discourage electors from casting a meaningless second vote, the second place candidate would become vice president. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading presidential lottery. Electors are generally chosen by their state political parties in the months leading up to. This means that people in the state will get to vote on which electors they want.