objectives:
- Describe the features of the presidential campaign
- Explain what the electoral college provides for the election of the President
- Identify the major flaws in the electoral college system
- Outline the advantages and disadvantages of proposed reforms of the electoral college
vocabulary:
swing voter: a voter who has not made up his or her mind at the start of a campaign
battleground State: a State in which either candidate could win
district plan: a plan in which each State chooses electors as it chooses members of Congress
proportional plan: a plan that gives each presidential candidate a share of the State electoral vote equal to his or her share of the State popular vote
direct popular election: a plan that would abolish the electoral college and replace it with a direct popular vote for president
national popular vote plan: a plan to reform the electoral system to accomplish a direct popular vote
battleground State: a State in which either candidate could win
district plan: a plan in which each State chooses electors as it chooses members of Congress
proportional plan: a plan that gives each presidential candidate a share of the State electoral vote equal to his or her share of the State popular vote
direct popular election: a plan that would abolish the electoral college and replace it with a direct popular vote for president
national popular vote plan: a plan to reform the electoral system to accomplish a direct popular vote
Presidential Campaign:
The presidential campaigning process is very chaotic. Not just for the candidates,but for the country as a whole. Media, mail, and many other things are bombarded with advertisements from the candidates to help themselves get their name out there to the voters. Most of the time the most advertisement goes into the battleground states to make sure they win that states election. Along with advertising the candidates participate in debates. An incumbent President or a candidate that is the winning candidate may not want to participate in a debate but most of the time a debate takes place between the two parties. The campaigning finally comes to an end on the day of election where we see which candidate did the best at promoting their name.
Electoral College:
As the presidential election is underway, the people of the United States vote for electors who will late vote for the President instead of directly voting for the President themselves. Although it seems the electors in the electoral college would automatically would vote for President and Vice Prescient, but they all through a process before casting their vote. The electors are chosen by popular vote from each state. After all the elector are chosen, Congress chooses a day in which all the the lectors will meet together. On that date, the elector cast their vote for both the President and Vice President. The ballot from the vote is then sent into Washington where the results will be tallied. Whoever has the majority of the elector votes is named the President of the United States. If neither candidate win the majority of the votes the House of Representatives chooses who will take office as the President.
Disadvantages of Electoral colleges:
- The winner of the popular vote in not guaranteed presidency.
- Electors are not forced to vote according to popular vote.
- The election might have to be decided in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Advantages of Electoral Colleges:
- It is a known process and if other processes were used they might a defects and not work as well as the electoral college.
- Finding of the final decision does not take long, so the President chosen quickly.
- The arrangement of a electoral college does not promote the nations two-party system.