American Politics Today - Essentials (3rd Ed)

WHO ARE THE ELECTORS?

Candidates to be electors are nominated

by their political parties. They pledge to

support a certain candidate if they are elected

to the electoral college. When you cast your

vote for a presidential candidate, you are in

fact voting for the slate of potential electors

who support that candidate.

ELECTORAL VOTES PER STATE

The number of electors from each state

equals the state’s number of House

members (which varies based on state

population) plus the number of senators

(two per state). Each elector has one

vote in the electoral college.

WINNING A STATE

Most states give all of their electoral college

votes to the candidate who wins the most

votes from citizens in the state. So, even if a

candidate only gets 51% of the vote in the

state, his or her entire slate of electors is

elected, and he or she gets all of the state’s

votes in the electoral college.

A B

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55
9
(^73)
(^29)
16
44
20
611
86
48
1110
(^46531061016)
(^514)
29
15
3
18
7
20
7
4
93
38
11
6313
1251033
MO
MSMN
NHNVNEMT
NJ MI MA
MDME
LAKY
KSIA
IN
IL
IDHI
GA
FL
CTDE
CO
CA
ALAKAZAR
WAWVWIWYDC
VTVA
UT
TX
TN
SD
SC
RI
PA
OR
OK
OH
ND
NC
NY
NM
100%
OF ELECTORAL VOTES
GO TO WINNER

37%

61%

538

TOTAL ELECTORS

THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE

Answers: 1.e; 2.c

The number of electors that each state has

in the electoral college is based on

a voter turnout in the previous election.

b an equal number for all states.

c the number of parties in the state.

d the date the state joined the Union.

e population.

When you cast your vote in a presidential

general election, you are actually voting for

a a political party.

b delegates who pledge to support a specific

candidate at the party's national convention.

c electors who pledge to support a specific

candidate in the electoral college.

d whoever gets the most votes in the state.

e a slate of presidential candidates.

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