Electoral College

Question 1

EC gives disproportional power to smaller states

Answer 1

Wyoming has 3 EC meaning: 189k= 1 vote, California has 54 EC meaning: 679k= 1 vote.
-votes in small states are worth more

Question 2

EC protects smaller states

Answer 2

All states have a min of 3 ( 1 HOR + 2 senate)
270 to win
- no state can be ignored
- smaller swing states ensure candidate attention

Question 3

Faithless electors existing

Answer 3

21 states do not enforce pledges
2016 Clinton lost 5 votes to Faithless electors
8/14 elections since 1960 have seen faithless electors
- damaging democracy as electors are unelected and are going against popular vote

Question 4

EC produces clear winner

Answer 4

All election since 2004 have achieved over 270

Question 5

Pledges prevent faithless electors

Answer 5

29 states use pledges
New Hampshire
Washington issues fines if pledges are broken
-EC is more democratic by upholding popular vote in each state

Question 6

EC makes the looser the winner

Answer 6

twice in recent history we have had a candidate loose the popular vote and win the presidency
2000 Bush
2016 Trump -> 305 EC votes -> Clinton won 2% more popular
- the votes do not matter if the popular vote is being upheld

Question 7

Ensure candidates win wide spread support

Answer 7

Perot 1992 wining 19% of the popular vote but no EC vote as his vote was dispersed
- candidate must win in enough states even by small margins
Trump 2016

Question 8

EC reinforces the Two-Party system

Answer 8

All parties are from Dems or Rep
Perot 1992 wining 19% of the popular vote but no EC vote
Wallace 1968 only 3rd party candidate to win EC vote (as it was concentrated in the deep south) but still didn’t win
-shows that minor parties do not hold significant prevalence