129 Elections Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best elections topic ideas & essay examples, ⭐ interesting topics to write about elections, 💡 most interesting elections topics to write about, ✅ simple & easy elections essay titles.

  • Elections of 1912 In fact, the outcome of the elections indicated that, the Progressive Party garnered an outstanding percentage of both popular and electoral votes.
  • Presidential Elections of 1804 The election was notable because of the extremely partisan nature of the election and the vitriolic attacks on former Revolution War friends and colleagues” As Dunn observed “It was particularly important as it resulted in […] We will write a custom essay specifically for you by our professional experts 808 writers online Learn More
  • USA Presidential Election The candidates wishing to contest for any post in the government are required to be certified by the Congress as early as in the month of January in the Election year.
  • Discreditation of Michele Bachmann Actions During the Election In this move, the writer points to the audience, as the readers, that politicians like Michele Bachmann are appealing to the voters who are racists.
  • The Influence of News Media on the Outcome of the 2008 US Presidential Elections The media has become one of the most used tools of influence in many democratic processes to inspire the public and dictate the behavior of candidates and voters.
  • Robocalls in Canada Elections The announcement was made on2nd May, 2011 by the election agency which went further to inform the public that the automated calls were not made by the agency.
  • Citizens United v.s Federal Election Commission The decision is premised on the idea that the Constitution and especially the First Amendment give equal protection to individual citizens and to groups of citizens who can form unions, lobbies, or corporations.
  • Sarah Palin in the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election Consequently, the media coverage that Palin got was not to her favor and this made her loose a lot of votes.
  • Elections in post USSR countries In most of the nations that have an undemocratic system, manipulation of the constitution is a common practice. A number of the presidents in these nations exploit their powers in order to secure their positions.
  • Problems Facing the Electoral College in Presidential Elections The Electoral College is an electoral system in the United States that was established through the Constitution of the United States; this was subsequently amended through the establishment of the 12th Amendment of the year […]
  • Failure in the Sarah Palin Election in US 2008 It has been argued that the media coverage she received in the run up to that election was biased and led McCain to lose to President Barack Obama.
  • Citizens Protests and Elections Outcomes The protestors accused the government of threatening and bribing opposition deputies and other officials to change their political affiliation and join Fujimori’s Peru 2000 party, the fact that the armed forces recognized Fujimori as president […]
  • Jane “Bitzi” Johnson Miller Candidacy and Election Campaign As she was born in Texas and lived all her life there, she is very well aware of the matter of things and political atmosphere that is present in Texas.
  • Psychology in Nursing and Elections The safety needs in the education and nursing are the health security of patients, the safety of the nursing profession and the job security.
  • Campaigns and Elections America is a democratic country; the constitution is the huddle on the way to force people to register as voters and vote.
  • How the Internet Affects Politics and Elections? The speedy expansion of the internet has stimulated claims that huge revolutions in the formation of political power in Egypt and other countries in the Middle east are in the process: the populist assert that […]
  • Of Matrilocality and the Role of Women in a Village Election in Northern Thailand It highlights the intertwining of the domain of women in the village cultures of matrilocal and matrilineal kinship. In describing the nature of matrilocal residency and the household’s kin the matrilineal villages, the author cites […]
  • The US Midterm Elections in the Light of the Tea Party Regarding the growing influence of the Tea Party movement in the United States, the results of the Midterm elections which have been recently held could be predicted with considerable certainty, since the moods in the […]
  • Two-Party System Relevance: 2010 Australian Federal Election The two party systems started back in 1891 in Australia with the rise of the labor party as a political party in 1909 after the protectionist and free traders joined hands to form the party.
  • The Influence of Twitter as a Social Perception Driver in the 2012 U.S. Presidential Election Campaigns This research therefore seeks to quantify the influence of Twitter as a perception driver by evaluating the use of Twitter as a source of information and sentiment.
  • Voter Turnout: An Analysis of Three Election Years Voter turnout statistics Voter turnout in the US in the 1988 presidential elections was one of the lowest in the American voting history.
  • Voting Participation in the U.S. Presidential Elections In his seminal work on religious identity and the U.S.presidency, Gonzalez found that “the relationship between religion and the presidency impacts both the viability of candidates and the manner in which decisions are made in […]
  • How Obama’s First Election Has Been Affected by Racism? The election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America heralded the beginning of a new chapter in the country.
  • Ethics in Reporting Political Issues and Elections Significance and Implication to Ethics in Reporting The implications of ethical reporting in the nation were the development of cohesion in the society by using the media as a tool for preaching peace and love […]
  • Obama’s First Election and Racism For African Americans, the march of Barack Obama towards the American presidency was the culmination of a long journey that started in the farmlands of the South during times of slavery.
  • Gender’s Role in the Outcome of Elections 2008 in the America Analysts observe that the media brainwashed the electorate to believe that gender affects the performance of an individual in executing his or her duties as the head of state. Anita evaluated the role of the […]
  • George Bush Election Campaign Thus, the economic boom of the 1990s was about to end and several signs of the future recession appeared in 2000.
  • Corporations Should Participate in Elections In addition, the right to support a particular political party is extended to corporations, and thus private corporations have the freedom to help any aspiring politician in the campaigns.
  • Kenyan Presidential Elections The final results of the exercise were never released after the transparency of the tallying process was compromised. Kibaki and Raila agreed to share power on a 50-50 basis, with the former retaining the post […]
  • Government Elections: Marihelen Wheeler and Ted Yoho In the 3rd District of Florida, Marihelen Wheeler, the Democratic candidate is the rival of the Republican candidate, Ted Yoho. In conclusion, I would like to note that Yoho and Wheeler have quite opposing views […]
  • Primary Elections’ Importance for the Americans The current paper aims at discussing the peculiarities of the American presidential primary election process and its importance for the American citizens and the whole world, analyzing the coming elections, comparing the past and the […]
  • Election Campaign Financing Comparison However, while one article articulates the disadvantages of private campaign financing, the other one downplays the relevance of financing in election outcomes.
  • Problems in Kenya’s Election Process Given the fact that the country had gone into the election on the back of political tension, any lapse in the system was viewed as an attempt by one of the competing candidates to rig […]
  • Historical Event: Barack Obama’s Election The United States of America has had a shameful racial history characterized by the discrimination of the non-white citizens in the country.
  • Who Will Win the 2015 Canadian Federal Election? Those who seek to rise to the top of government are those men and women who appear to have the willingness to break the moral obligations that the majority of the people are determined to […]
  • The US and Canada Elections Comparison The Court of Florida orders a recount of the votes, and the Supreme Court also upholds a win for Al Gore in the elections.
  • Agenda-Setting and the Presidential Election The accentuation of the certain issues in the candidates’ campaigns with the help of the mass media can affect the voters’ attitude to the definite problems significantly.
  • The US Presidential Elections: Candidates in 2016 In his quest to become the US president, Sheffler has positioned himself as the best candidate for the American people, as evidenced by his allegiance to the American people and not the ideals upheld by […]
  • Canada Federal Elections: Marketing Campaigns Political marketing may be defined as the application of marketing concepts to political campaigns so as to package political activities and messages in a way that appeals to voters.
  • US Presidential Election 2016: Hot Button Issues The anticipation of a female president is gradually arising among the electorate, and many people feel that it is time to allow a female to be the president of the United States.
  • Presidential Elections Analysis: Clinton vs. Cruz Resting on these facts, it is possible to say that the issue of international relations will become one of the most discussed by different candidates.
  • Electoral College Versus Direct Election Due to the problems the Electoral College system created during the 2000 presidential elections, people are clamoring to abolish or reform the said system.
  • Latino Participation in American Presidential Elections The election of Barack Obama marked a milestone in the political reality of minorities in the US. During the 2012 election, the voices of the minority groups were heard clearly in the American political landscape.
  • Ghana’s Political Leadership and General Elections In the movie there is a clear picture of the political leadership in Ghana and the views that people have concerning the political leadership of the country.
  • Hindsight Bias for US Political Elections in 2016 Objective: The study aimed to establish the existence of hindsight bias in elections by analyzing pre and post-election responses from students regarding the 2016 election. The study was carried out in the form of […]
  • The US Presidential Elections of 2016 The evaluation of the current political situation and the peculiar features of the current elections should be identified and explained to comprehend the worth of the elections in 2016.
  • 2012 Presidential Elections: Republicans vs. Democrats The majority of American citizens is not satisfied with the work of President Obama and wishes to have a change in the presidency.
  • Running Mates in Presidential Elections This essay will analyze the factors considered in the selection of a running mate by a presidential candidate, as examined in the article, and will try to make a case for why Paul Ryan was […]
  • Brexit and Trump’s Election in Online News Media The former British prime minister once stated that the internet had the power to ‘excite the attention of hundreds, thousands, millions of people and stirs them to action’. In the end, the side that understood […]
  • Presidential Election Campaign Advertisement “Doing Fine” The questions that arise from the above discussion of the prevalence of negative campaign is, if the degree of incivility in election campaigns in America has reached a new low or were the foundation of […]
  • Alternative Facts in 2016 US Presidential Election While the majority of politicians usually stretch the truth, giving momentum to the practice of political fact-checking long before the 2016 election, the current President of the United States went much farther than the usual […]
  • Ethnic and Political Affiliation in Ghana’s Elections From a critical point of view, it is evident that the main purpose of the early political parties was first to ensure that Ghana is an independent and sovereign state in addition to achieving political, […]
  • The 2011 Canadian Federal Election The NDP ranked second for the first time in Canadian history, the Greens party got the first parliamentary seat, more women were elected into parliament, and the Quebec Bloc and Liberal party landed humiliating defeats […]
  • 2010 US Midterm Elections and Goals in Afghanistan The result now means that the Republicans now control the majority of the representation in the House. Coming to the midterm elections, the focus had been on the state of the economy with much pressure […]
  • Campaigns Process and Elections It is the democratic right of citizens above the age of 18 years to take part in elections and elect their preferred leaders. It is the democratic right of people to take part in elections.
  • Canadian Elections in 2012 and Need for Changes The article reports on the investigations currently underway concerning the suspicious election calls that were received in the riding of West Nova.
  • Canadian Elections: Stephen Harper vs. David Emerson In this case, the power issue is the ability of the winning party in an election to appoint his opponent during the election to serve in the same cabinet after losing the election.
  • Election Campaign Promises and Population Benefits While it may be true that political and economic realities often hinder such promises from being carried out, it is rather interesting to realize that a vast majority of people that have been elected into […]
  • Sexism and Presidential Elections in the USA Both in the runners up to Democratic Party nomination of the presidential candidate, a woman was in the ticket, Hillary Clinton.
  • Elections and Political Agenda in Argentina Argentina is going to be the center of the discussion and the area which is going to be the focus of our proposal about elections and political process program.
  • 2016 Presidential Elections: Hillary Clinton and Marco Rubio It is paramount to understand that it is a topic that splits voters, and candidates should be careful with the strategies that are chosen, and the opinions of some politicians have been controversial.
  • Social Institutions and Race in American Elections With the 2020 elections approaching, the subject of race in the US is very important in the context of political debate.
  • Political and Election Trends of Texas in 2018 Therefore, according to some views, Republicans usually win elections referring to the tradition of citizens in Texas to vote in the context of the “red” framework.
  • Election Plan for the Governor of Texas Henceforth, the candidate’s message must include his political achievements and motivation to carry on reforming the state in favor of Texas residents.
  • Judges in Nevada: Election or Appointment The fact that elections for judges are popular with the public suggests that the public will not vote to change this.
  • 2008 US Elections: Barrack Obama and John McCain The war in Iraq is one issue that will determine the outcome of the 2008 presidential elections. Barrack Obama was opposed to the Iraq war right from the begging, He had to put his political […]
  • Presidential Election in the USA: Africans’ Rights This is because there has been a gap between the Africans and the whites from the beginning where by the Africans are seem to do nothing on their own and therefore these people even if […]
  • Media Coverage of Elections This example shows that the role of Media in elections is increasingly important, and it can considerably affect electorate inclinations to vote for a particular candidate.
  • United States Elections 2008 Analysis At the same time, new senators will be voted in, there will also be a couple of state and local elections without forgetting the election of new members of the House of Representatives.
  • Canada Elections: Layton Out to Save Canada Although the race has attracted a number of contestants, there is a fierce battle between the three main parties which includes; the Conservative party of the sitting prime minister Harper, the New Democratic Party lead […]
  • Irish General Elections: Low Voter Turnout Reasons There is a marked pattern of unions and labor parties decline, which has traditionally been connected with the real increases in the cost of mobilization and the mobilization of peripheral voters on one hand and […]
  • Racial Prejudice in Urban Elections The controversy of Cory Booker and Sharpe James mayoral race of 2002 illustrates the actual position of political life of the African-American population.
  • Presidential Election in USA: Barack Obama For many people, the choice of who to support for leadership in positions as important as the Presidency of the United States of America falls to one issue.
  • North Carolina’s Election: Elizabeth Dole vs. Kay Hagan With a population of 9,061,032, the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State declares, the North Carolina to be ranked as 10th largest population in the US.
  • Persuading Young Voters to Participate in Elections Contrary to this, in Kenya and many other African countries, only the citizens that live within the borders of the country and have obtained the national identification card are allowed to register.
  • US Presidential Election: Sociological Reasoning There is a need to change the understating of the presidential elections and concentrate on a personality and leadership skills of a candidate rather his party policies and promises. Of the various influences on the […]
  • Primary Elections Found In the States The types of partisan primaries are: Closed: In the Closed type of primary elections, only the voters who are registered as members of that particular party, and have hence declared which party they are affiliated […]
  • Libertarians in the US Presidential Election of 2008 The end of the Gold Standard and the implementation of price controls by President Nixon stimulated the formation of the Libertarian Party.
  • How Conservatives Lost the 1974 General Elections However, it is important to note some of these ideas were the same as those of other parties including the Labour Party as the major threat to the Conservative Party.
  • United States National Presidential Elections The voters also choose the electors who will vote in the Electoral College on the day of the presidential general election.
  • 2008 U.S. Election History Review: The First African American Elected President The election of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States was a historic event in the life of the American republic.
  • Obama’s and McCain’s Election Campaigns McCain wants to place the school at the center of the education system and believes that the parents, children and teachers have a major role to play in determining the success of the education system.
  • How the Election of Barack Obama as the U.S. President Will Affect America’s Racial Issues The election of Barack Obama, an African-American to the highest seat in the nation is one big leap of a lifetime, an advancement that has not been even in the wildest dream of the world.
  • Steps in the Presidential Campaign and the Election Day Once at the national party conventions, the delegates from the states cast votes for the person who will represent the political party in the November general election.
  • 2008 U.S. Presidential Elections Born Barrack Hussein Obama Jr, the Democrat candidate was the first child of a white mother, Ann Dunham, and a Kenyan father, Barrack Obama Sr, by his conception; both his parents were young students at […]
  • Elections, Parties, and Interests: Rational Choice The discussion of the election system of the United Kingdom should be started by the statement that elections in the UK are carried not because it is demanded by law, but because both politicians and […]
  • Race and Politics at the 2008 Elections It is obvious that the rise of the diversity of the population was due to the recent elections, as well. Owing to that, the problem of racism is on the agenda.
  • The Incumbency Advantage in Congressional Elections The United State of America consists of a senate and the House of Representatives. The foreign investors may fear the state of a government in maintaining peace, tranquility and the taxes.
  • Democratic Empowerment via Village Elections During Imperial China The villager assembly oversees the progress of the VCs and ensures that the decisions they make are for the common good of the rest of the villagers.
  • President Griswold and the Elections of 2008 From the excerpt it appears that President Griswold is not able to conceptualize America’s national interest and requires the services of an able advisor.
  • Labour Party’s Failure Since 1997: 2001 & 2005 General Elections The Labour party outperformed the Liberal Party as the most significant opponent to the Conservative party during the start of the 1920s.
  • The Voters and Election in US The German government parties choose the person to run for a parliamentary seat, while in the United States it is the congress that chooses the person to run for the seat.
  • 2006 Federal Election in Canada Liberals currently have a long way to go, and this gives conservatives the advantage to advance their numbers to the majority in the House of Commons.
  • Mid-Term Election: Timothy Bishop and Randy Altschuler In the voting process, the candidate with the highest number of votes assumes the post and the whole of this process must be eligible and transparent.
  • The Election of Federal Judges All the citizens of the concerned country will hence be part of the legalized judicial system.”The election of judges also serves as an assurance to all the citizens that all the duties undertaken in their […]
  • Elections and Political Processes Argentine legal arrangements governing the organization and control of the electoral process rely on the active participation of political parties at all stages of the process.
  • The 2008 Presidential Elections Results As much as the 1965 Voting Rights Act, appeared to have put the minority in the mainstream political landscape of the United States of America, It also seemed to be a tool to check the […]
  • Elections in the USA: Plunkitt’s Method of Wooing the Electorate An election in the United States is essentially a contest between the republicans and the democrats. The paper also seeks to explain the difference between open and closed primary elections.
  • States Should Adopt E-elections Critics to this new method of elections have maintained that the system is prone to fraud and unfair election results. In addition, the software and hardware engineers involved in the design of e-voting systems may […]
  • United States Presidential Election 2008 This became a great victory in the fight of the black population of the United States for the vindication of their rights and freedoms.
  • Elections in Japan and China Both houses must vote in two-round elections to elect the office bearer; however, the votes of members of the House of Representatives are very influential, and even if there is a tie the prime minister-designate […]
  • Ethnicity Role in Florida’s 18th Congressional District Elections Probably, the most interesting manifestation of ethnic voting in the 1980s was the Cuban community’s overwhelming support for the Republican party.
  • Analysis of Spectacle of 2020 United States Election Such research through the Society of the Spectacle methodology is necessary to gain an objective perception of the current reality and the present illusion created by the media.
  • Political Science: Constitutions, Political Parties, Elections Modern constitutionalism is based on the principle of universal principles, the independence of the judiciary, the separation of powers, the power and freedom of the people otherwise referred to as the sovereignty of the people, […]
  • Campaigns and Elections Paper The second group of individuals that is likely to vote for the candidate is the representatives of minority groups and people coming from low social and economic backgrounds.
  • The U.S. Electoral System The following presentation will provide an in-depth understanding of the U.S. electoral system by discussing its distinguishing features and processes
  • The 2016 U.S. Election The Electoral College was created to protect US citizens against mob rule. Mob rule is the control of a lawful government system by a mass of people through violence.
  • Richard Nixon and the 1968 Elections Thus, riots within the cities, protests against the Vietnam war, and assassinations within the country assisted Richard Nixon to win in the 1968 elections.
  • Public-Private Partnerships for Election Systems Cybersecurity In public contracts, the private sector provides the service directly to the public and bears all the associated end-user risks. Private parties can use all the gained knowledge and expertise to conduct security assessments of […]
  • Citizens United vs Federal Election Commission In public administration and elections, the state is obliged to monitor the processes of campaigns to prevent the coming to power, for example, of an ochlocratic leader.
  • Russian Interference in the American Elections On the other hand, the assertion that the Russian administration meddled in the 2016 and 2020 presidential U.S.elections has aroused worldwide controversy. According to an N.S.A.investigation, Russia attempted to sabotage the 2016 presidential election in […]
  • Political Solution for Pandemic Situation During Governor Elections The solution offered by the State Union and Workforce Advisor is the most practical and advantageous for everybody, based on the proposed options and circumstances.
  • Zambia’s 2021 Elections: The Success of Opposition In the article for the Journal of Democracy titled “How Zambia’s Opposition Won,” Danielle Resnick explores the path that the population of the country had completed before the opposition finally won, symbolizing the drastic turn […]
  • Power and Social Change in the Election System The United States’ election system is more complicated than most countries worldwide because it is a two-party system, and the voters do not directly participate in the governmental decision.
  • National Polls and Election Forecasting The primary goal of such polls is to get an image of an overall nationwide opinion judging by the answers given in the poll.
  • Aspects of Presidential Elections Public opinion is an important component of the political space in a democratic government as it is useful when determining the preferences of the electorate.
  • Democrats Caught in Election-Year Gambit With Bloated Gas Prices These Midterms would be one of the most consequential in history as they will likely decide the political gridlock and demonstrate the voter confidence in the party that wins the majority.
  • The Philippines Elections 2016 Cyberattacks The scale of the problem of cyberattacks in the modern world is vast, and the case of the Philippines in 2016 demonstrated the vulnerability of even such important databases as those containing information on electors.
  • Economic and Political Issues of the November 2010 Elections According to social polls, 43% of voters in November 2010 called economic problems the most important in the upcoming elections. In 2010, the number of unemployed Americans exceeded 15 million, according to the Department of […]
  • Researching of Congressional Elections Congressional elections and their results directly influence the policies adopted by the government and affect the lives of all citizens of the country.
  • Discussion: Congressional Elections The course of congressional elections is mainly guided by the actions of individuals and entities involved in the process, and revealing the importance of all participants for the results is possible when examining their roles.
  • Encouraging Voter Participation in Democratic Election Process The voting process should be concerned with high voter turnout rather than trust since losing legislatures is responsible for the lack of trust among voters in the entire process.
  • The Election of 1860: The Final Step to Civil War However, the presidential election of 1860 was the last spark that fuelled the flames of the Civil War. The 1860 election outcome revealed that the opposition had no hope of beating Lincoln and the Republicans […]
  • The Discussion of 2021 – 2025 Election Project In the summer of 2021, the Liberal Party was doing well in the polls, and the call for the election was to try to translate that voting support into a majority government.
  • Midterm Elections in the United States The article elaborates on the situation in the US as the date for the Midterm elections in November approaches. The political significance of US relations with Saudi Arabia is also emphasized in the article.
  • Improving Integrity of the US Election and Youths Participation The United States presidential election is a winner take all election, meaning that the loss of an election is always devastating to the contestant and their supporter.
  • Aspects of the 2024 Presidential Election Candidates start announcing their candidacy early in the first few months of the year before the election, that is, two years before the election.
  • Donald Trump’s Election Campaign for 2024 A few days after the results of the midterm elections for the U.S. According to Trump, his rivals suspended the counting of votes in important states of the country in order to get additional ballots […]
  • U.S. Foreign Policy after the Midterm Elections Moreover, regardless of the outcome of the upcoming presidential election in the United States, all of these changes will have a lasting impact on the behavior of other political actors.
  • Chicago (A-D)
  • Chicago (N-B)

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The Electoral College Explained

A national popular vote would help ensure that every vote counts equally, making American democracy more representative.

Tim Lau

  • Electoral College Reform

In the United States, the presidency is decided not by the national popular vote but by the Electoral College — an outdated and convoluted system that sometimes yields results contrary to the choice of the majority of American voters. On five occasions, including in two of the last six elections, candidates have won the Electoral College, and thus the presidency, despite losing the nationwide popular vote. 

The Electoral College has racist origins — when established, it applied the three-fifths clause, which gave a long-term electoral advantage to slave states in the South — and continues to dilute the political power of voters of color. It incentivizes presidential campaigns to focus on a relatively small number of “swing states.” Together, these dynamics have spurred debate about the system’s democratic legitimacy.

To make the United States a more representative democracy, reformers are pushing for the presidency to be decided instead by the national popular vote, which would help ensure that every voter counts equally.

What is the Electoral College and how does it work?

The Electoral College is a group of intermediaries designated by the Constitution to select the president and vice president of the United States. Each of the 50 states is allocated presidential electors  equal to the number of its representatives and senators . The ratification of the 23rd Amendment in 1961 allowed citizens in the District of Columbia to participate in presidential elections as well; they have consistently had three electors.

In total, the Electoral College comprises  538 members . A presidential candidate must win a majority of the electoral votes cast to win — at least 270 if all 538 electors vote.

The Constitution grants state legislatures the power to decide how to appoint their electors. Initially, a number of state legislatures directly  selected their electors , but during the 19th century they transitioned to the popular vote, which is now used by  all 50 states . In other words, each awards its electoral votes to the presidential candidate chosen by the state’s voters.

Forty-eight states and the District of Columbia use a winner-take-all system, awarding all of their electoral votes to the popular vote winner in the state. Maine and Nebraska award one electoral vote to the popular vote winner in each of their congressional districts and their remaining two electoral votes to the statewide winner. Under this system, those two states sometimes split their electoral votes among candidates.

In the months leading up to the general election, the political parties in each state typically nominate their own slates of would-be electors. The state’s popular vote determines which party’s slates will be made electors. Members of the Electoral College  meet and vote in their respective states  on the Monday after the second Wednesday in December after Election Day. Then, on January 6, a joint session of Congress meets at the Capitol to count the electoral votes and declare the outcome of the election, paving the way for the presidential inauguration on January 20.

How was the Electoral College established?

The Constitutional Convention in 1787 settled on the Electoral College as a compromise between delegates who thought Congress should select the president and others who favored a direct nationwide popular vote. Instead, state legislatures were entrusted with appointing electors.

Article II  of the Constitution, which established the executive branch of the federal government, outlined the framers’ plan for the electing the president and vice president. Under this plan, each elector cast two votes for president; the candidate who received the most votes became the president, with the second-place finisher becoming vice president — which led to administrations in which political opponents served in those roles. The process was overhauled in 1804 with the ratification of the  12th Amendment , which required electors to cast votes separately for president and vice president. 

How did slavery shape the Electoral College?

At the time of the Constitutional Convention, the northern states and southern states had  roughly equal populations . However, nonvoting enslaved people made up about one-third of the southern states’ population. As a result, delegates from the South objected to a direct popular vote in presidential elections, which would have given their states less electoral representation.

The debate contributed to the convention’s eventual decision to establish the Electoral College, which applied the  three-fifths compromise  that had already been devised for apportioning seats in the House of Representatives. Three out of five enslaved people were counted as part of a state’s total population, though they were nonetheless prohibited from voting.

Wilfred U. Codrington III, an assistant professor of law at Brooklyn Law School and a Brennan Center fellow,  writes  that the South’s electoral advantage contributed to an “almost uninterrupted trend” of presidential election wins by southern slaveholders and their northern sympathizers throughout the first half of the 19th century. After the Civil War, in 1876, a contested Electoral College outcome was settled by a compromise in which the House awarded Rutherford B. Hayes the presidency with the understanding that he would withdraw military forces from the Southern states. This led to the end of Reconstruction and paved the way for racial segregation under Jim Crow laws.

Today, Codrington argues, the Electoral College continues to dilute the political power of Black voters: “Because the concentration of black people is highest in the South, their preferred presidential candidate is virtually assured to lose their home states’ electoral votes. Despite black voting patterns to the contrary, five of the six states whose populations are 25 percent or more black have been reliably red in recent presidential elections. … Under the Electoral College, black votes are submerged.”

What are faithless electors?  

Ever since the 19th century reforms, states have expected their electors to honor the will of the voters. In other words, electors are now pledged to vote for the winner of the popular vote in their state. However, the Constitution does not require them to do so, which allows for scenarios in which “faithless electors” have voted against the popular vote winner in their states. As of 2016, there have been  90 faithless electoral votes  cast out of 23,507 in total across all presidential elections. The 2016 election saw a record-breaking  seven faithless electors , including three who voted for former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who was not a presidential candidate at the time.  

Currently, 33 states and the District of Columbia  require their presidential electors  to vote for the candidate to whom they are pledged. Only 5 states, however, impose a penalty on faithless electors, and only 14 states provide for faithless electors to be removed or for their votes to be canceled. In July 2020, the Supreme Court  unanimously upheld  existing state laws that punish or remove faithless electors.

What happens if no candidate wins a majority of Electoral College votes?

If no ticket wins a majority of Electoral College votes, the presidential election is  sent to the House of Representatives  for a runoff. Unlike typical House practice, however, each state only gets one vote, decided by the party that controls the state’s House delegation. Meanwhile, the vice-presidential race is decided in the Senate, where each member has one vote. This scenario  has not transpired since 1836 , when the Senate was tasked with selecting the vice president after no candidate received a majority of electoral votes.

Are Electoral College votes distributed equally between states?

Each state is allocated a number of electoral votes based on the total size of its congressional delegation. This benefits smaller states, which have at least three electoral votes — including two electoral votes tied to their two Senate seats, which are guaranteed even if they have a small population and thus a small House delegation. Based on population trends, those disparities will likely increase as the most populous states are expected to account for an even greater share of the U.S. population in the decades ahead. 

What did the 2020 election reveal about the Electoral College?

In the aftermath of the 2020 presidential race, Donald Trump and his allies fueled an effort to overturn the results of the election, spreading repeated lies about widespread voter fraud. This included attempts by a number of state legislatures to nullify some of their states’ votes, which often targeted jurisdictions with large numbers of Black voters. Additionally, during the certification process for the election, some members of Congress also objected to the Electoral College results, attempting to throw out electors from certain states. While these efforts ultimately failed, they revealed yet another vulnerability of the election system that stems from the Electoral College.

The  Electoral Count Reform Act , enacted in 2023, addresses these problems. Among other things, it clarifies which state officials have the power to appoint electors, and it bars any changes to that process after Election Day, preventing state legislatures from setting aside results they do not like. The new law also raises the threshold for consideration of objections to electoral votes. It is now one-fifth of each chamber instead of one senator and one representative.  Click here for more on the changes made by the Electoral Count Reform Act.

What are ways to reform the Electoral College to make presidential elections more democratic?

Abolishing the Electoral College outright would require a constitutional amendment. As a workaround, scholars and activist groups have rallied behind the  National Popular Vote Interstate Compact  (NPV), an effort that started after the 2000 election. Under it, participating states would  commit to awarding their electoral votes  to the winner of the national popular vote.

In other words, the NPV would formally retain the Electoral College but render it moot, ensuring that the winner of the national popular vote also wins the presidency. If enacted, the NPV would incentivize presidential candidates to expand their campaign efforts nationwide, rather than focus only on a small number of swing states.

For the NPV to take effect, it must first be adopted by states that control at least 270 electoral votes. In 2007, Maryland became the first state to enact the compact. As of 2019, a total of 19 states and Washington, DC, which collectively account for 196 electoral votes, have joined.

The public has consistently supported a nationwide popular vote. A 2020 poll by Pew Research Center, for example, found that  58 percent of adults  prefer a system in which the presidential candidate who receives the most votes nationwide wins the presidency.

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AP® US Government

Electoral college: ap® us government crash course.

  • The Albert Team
  • Last Updated On: March 1, 2022

Electoral College - AP® US Government Crash Course

What is the Electoral College?

Because it is unique to our political system, the AP® US Government & Politics exam is almost certain to test you on your knowledge of the Electoral College. What is the Electoral College, again? No—it’s not somewhere you get accepted to if you get a lot of 5’s on your AP® exams.

You’re probably too young to remember the 2000 presidential election, but you’ve certainly heard about it, and probably talked about it in class. George W. Bush, was elected despite losing the national popular vote (popular meaning, the most votes) because he was awarded Florida’s electoral votes.

Electoral College Origins

Electoral College - AP® US Government

The Founding Fathers didn’t have much faith in the voters to pick the president without some help from their leaders. They felt that the public had a limited grasp of the issues. So the Electoral College was designed to balance the popular will with political leaders’ wisdom. The voters’ choices would be filtered through state legislatures.

In a presidential election, each state legislature sends a slate of electors—the number of electors based on a state’s number of congressional districts plus two (for its senators) to go to Washington and elect a president.

Most state legislatures selected electors who would vote for the candidate the voters chose—but the Constitution (Article II, Section 1) does not require this.

Then, the candidate who received the majority of the electoral vote became president. Usually—but not always—this candidate also happened to have won the popular vote.

There have been three presidential candidates who won the popular vote but lost the Electoral College vote:

1. Samuel Tilden losing to Rutherford B. Hayes in 1876

2. Grover Cleveland losing to Benjamin Harrison in 1888

3. Al Gore losing to George W. Bush in 2000

There have been a number of elections that came close to having the same mixed result. For example, in 2004, John Kerry lost to George W. Bush by over three million popular votes, but the flip of one state—Ohio—would have made Kerry president. (Surely, the irony would not have been lost on Bush.)

Effects of the Electoral College

The AP® US Government & Politics exam will want you to know what the effects of the Electoral College are.

One effect is that which is mentioned above—sometimes the Electoral College flouts the will of the public. Today, all of the state legislatures (with the exceptions of Maine and Nebraska, which award by congressional district) award all of their state’s electoral votes to the popular vote winner in that state.This is referred to as the “winner-take-all” system.

This means that, even if a Republican candidate get millions of votes in California, or a Democrat gets millions in Texas, they still lose all of that state’s electoral votes.

This dynamic has the additional effect of leading candidates to only spend money and campaign in swing states—states where either party’s candidate has a chance of winning the state’s popular vote.

This is why states like Ohio, Virginia and Florida, which are fairly evenly split between Democrats and Republicans, get so much attention from candidates.

How are Electoral College Votes Apportioned?

Electoral College Votes - AP® US Gov

As mentioned, each state receives a number of electoral votes equivalent to its number of senators and representatives, for a total of 538 electoral votes. The votes are apportioned the same way congressional districts are—every ten years by the Census. A candidate needs 270 electoral votes to become president.

The most populous states have the most electoral votes. In 2016, for example, California will have 55 electoral votes, Texas will have 38, Florida and New York will have 29, and Illinois and Pennsylvania will have 20. It is possible for a candidate to win the presidency with the electoral votes of only the ten most populous states.

On the other hand, sparsely populated states like Montana and Vermont only have three electoral votes. Still—the electoral vote gives these states more influence than a popular vote-based system would. Three electoral votes can change the result in a close electoral vote.

Criticisms of the Electoral College

There are lots of criticisms of the Electoral College.

The most common complaint is that whoever represents the popular will—the winner of the popular vote—should be president. Half a million more voters voted for Al Gore in 2000 than voted for George W. Bush.

The other criticism is that by focusing the presidential contest on the swing states, the Electoral College deprives voters in solidly partisan states (like Republican Texas or Democratic California) from being heard.

It is also said that minority party voters in these states (e.g., Democrats in Texas or Republicans in California) have little incentive to vote, since their votes won’t affect the outcome of the election at all.

There have been many efforts to amend the Constitution and do away with the Electoral College over the years, but none of them have picked up much steam.

The Electoral College in Action

The electors meet at state capitols in December to cast their ballots. The ballots are then sealed and sent to Congress, where the president of the Senate—the vice president—opens and counts the ballots in January.

The media is allowed to ask electors how they voted in December, and they typically answer. Most states require electors to cast their ballot for the candidate they were chosen to represent—but some don’t.

In 2000, for example, since New Hampshire doesn’t require electors to vote for the candidate the voters chose, some pundits thought the state’s electors, pledged to Bush, might defect and vote for Gore. They didn’t.

If no candidate wins a majority of Electoral College votes—possible in an election with three or more major candidates—the House selects from the top three presidential candidates, and each state gets one vote. D.C. does not get a vote. The winner must get 26 or more state votes, with the House re-voting until this happens.

The Senate selects from the top two vice presidential candidates, and each senator gets one vote. The majority vote winner (51 votes) is sworn in as vice president.

Now let’s take a look at a free-response question about the Electoral College.

A Sample Free Response Question

1. Describe the winner-take-all feature of the Electoral College.

2. Explain one way in which the winner-take-all feature of the Electoral College affects how presidential candidates from the two major political parties run their campaigns.

3. Explain one way in which the winner-take-all feature of the Electoral College hinders third party candidates.

4. Explain two reasons the Electoral College has not been abolished.

It’s easy to answer (a) – discuss how, for all states except Maine and Nebraska, the winner of the popular vote in a state gets all of its electoral votes.

For (b), you want to discuss the concept of ‘swing states’ – parties closely divided between the states whose electoral votes are up for grabs. Candidates spend time and money here at the expense of solidly partisan states.

Part (c) will require you to discuss the dominance of the two parties, Democratic and Republican, and how third parties are unlikely to get any electoral votes at all—and thus no voice in the Electoral College—unless they outperform the two larger parties.

Part (d) will require you to discuss the amendment process—the only way the Electoral College can be abolished—and how the swing states are unlikely to support decreasing their voice in presidential elections. You will also want to discuss fears that a popular vote-based election would favor big cities and major population centers at the expense of rural and sparsely populated areas. (The argument here is that candidates would only spend time in money in places with lots of votes to be had.)

The Wrap Up

Remember, you are likely to encounter questions about the Electoral College on the AP® US Government exam.

The Electoral College is unique to our democracy. The most important points to remember about it are:

1. The Electoral College was created by the Founding Fathers because they believed voters weren’t well-informed enough to choose the president on their own

2. The Electoral College uses a winner-take all system

3. The Electoral College encourages candidates to campaign in ‘swing’ states where the parties are closely matched

4. Occasionally, the winner of the Electoral College (and thus, the presidency) actually loses the popular vote.

Remember, the Electoral College is not as complex as it might seem at first blush. Americans technically vote for electors who support their favored candidate. These 538 electors then convene the month after the election to vote for the president. If you can grasp this idea and the bullet points above, you will be well prepared for Electoral College questions on the US Government & Politics exam.

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Electoral College Essay Examples

Why we should abolish the electoral college in america.

The Electoral College has long been a subject of debate and controversy in American politics. While it has been a part of the U.S. presidential election system since its inception, many argue that it is an outdated and undemocratic institution that no longer serves the...

Should the Electoral College Be Abolished

In 1787, the Framers devised a voting system which was, in the words of Alexander Hamilton: “If not perfect, then at least excellent”.In this system, called the Electoral College, voters vote for electors who then cast their votes in a secret ballot on the first...

Should the Electoral College Be Abolished in America

The Electoral College, a unique and often debated component of the American electoral system, has played a significant role in shaping the nation's presidential elections since its inception in 1787. This essay will meticulously examine the arguments for and against the abolition of the Electoral...

The Power of Popularity in the Election Process

Throughout the four years of high school, every year a 2 week-long event known as the “co-prime” or co-priminister election lead by student leadership class would give students an opportunity to cast their vote for their preferred candidate. This election would consist of four to...

The Electoral College in the United States

There have been countless arguments regarding representation in our country. Since the beginning of its creation. The original purpose of the Electoral College was to help and see differing state and federal interests see eye to eye, provide and promote popular participation in the elections,...

Pros and Cons of the Electoral College

The Electoral College is a fantastically debated theme in the political world. Mostly due to the fact not many voters are knowledgeable on what the vote casting gadget to choose a president is. The Electoral College is a vote casting machine that was once put...

The Political Awareness and Voting Behavioramong College Students 

This part on related literature and studies by noted researchers, scholars, and parallel local researchers had been selected to support the objectives of the study. More specifically, this portion will present the point of view of different authorities on political awareness and voting behavior among...

Dapat Tama: the Philippine Electoral System Perspective

The purchase of elections is a phenomenon in Philippine politics that political candidates who use them as political strategies clandestinely practice as underground activities. The study investigated the phenomenon of voting acquisition in the Philippines during periodic national and local elections. It used sub-data from...

Voting with the Electoral College

Democracy. It’s a term often used in the United States when discussing politics, but do we really know what it means for the average citizen? When the Electoral College comes into play, chosen electors get to vote for the United States’ destiny. The Electoral College...

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About Electoral College

The Electoral College was created by the framers of the U.S. Constitution as an alternative to electing the president by popular vote or by Congress.

The United States Electoral College is a body of people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president. In general its a body of electors chosen or appointed by a larger group.

Each state appoints electors pursuant to the methods described by its legislature, equal in number to its congressional delegation (senators and representatives). A total of 538 electors form the Electoral College. Each elector casts one vote following the general election. The candidate who gets 270 votes or more wins.

Nebraska and Maine are the only states that do not automatically award all of their electors to the winner of the state popular vote. On rare occasions, electors do not vote as pledged. More Constitutional amendments have been proposed to reform or eliminate the Electoral College than on any other subject. A similar electoral college was previously used by the Holy Roman Empire.On rare occasions, electors do not vote as pledged.

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