Three criticisms of the College are made: It is “undemocratic;” It permits the election of a candidate who does not win the most votes; and. Its winner-takes-all approach cancels the votes of the losing candidates in each state.
What are the three major weaknesses in the electoral college system quizlet?
- Small-population states are over-represented.
- Winner-takes-all system can distort the result (such as in 2008, when Obama won 52% of the popular vote but 68% of the Electoral College votes).
- Possible for a candidate to win the popular vote but lose in the Electoral College (as Al Gore (Democrat) did in 2000).
What are the weaknesses of the electoral college system quizlet?
what are the three main weaknesses of the electoral college?
-winner of the popular vote is not guaranteed presidency. -electors are not required to vote in accord with the popular vote.
-any election might have to be decided in the house of representatives.
What is a major criticism of the electoral college quizlet?
A major criticism of the electoral college system has been that. 1.
party loyalty is weakened after a presidential election
. 2.electors frequently fail to vote for a candidate. 3.members of the electoral college are appointed for life terms. 4.a president may be elected without receiving the majority of the popular vote.
What are potential arguments against the electoral college quizlet?
Major arguments against the Electoral College. 1)
winner take all system makes it possible for a candidate who loses the popular vote to win the electoral vote
. 2) there is a possibility of electing a minority president.
Why were most of the framers opposed to choosing the president by popular vote quizlet?
Why were most of the framers opposed to choosing a president by popular vote? By Congress?
They believed that voters in such a large country couldn’t learn enough about the candidates to make an informed decision
. They believed that if it was chosen by Congress it would be, “too much under the legislative thumb.”
What are the major proposed reforms of the electoral college system?
The three most popular reform proposals include (1) the automatic plan, which would award electoral votes automatically and on the current winner-take-all basis in each state; (2) the district plan, as currently adopted in Maine and Nebraska, which would award one electoral vote to the winning ticket in each …
How are the electors selected for the Electoral College?
Generally, the parties either nominate slates of potential electors at their State party conventions or they chose them by a vote of the party’s central committee. … When the voters in each State cast votes for the Presidential candidate of their choice they are voting to select their State’s electors.
Is the Electoral College a fair method of selecting the president quizlet?
Is the electoral college fair? Yes because it gives the smaller states more say in the election. Also
the president has to go to every state
. And the winner of the popular vote might not win the election.
Why was the Electoral College system created quizlet?
The Electoral College was created for two reasons.
The first purpose was to create a buffer between population and the selection of a President
. The second as part of the structure of the government that gave extra power to the smaller states.
What is potential downside of the winner take all system of Electoral College voting quizlet?
What is a drawback of the winner-take-all system of Electoral College voting?
It makes it possible for candidates to lose the popular vote, yet win the election
.
What causes a candidate like Al Gore to win the popular vote and lose the vote in the Electoral College quizlet?
Bush was able to win a majority in the Electoral College when Al Gore won the national popular vote because
Bush was able to win a majority in enough states to gain the required number of electoral votes to win
, but he won by small margins in those states. … When do electors cast their vote for president?
What are the two tasks that elections accomplish?
The two tasks that elections accomplish are
selecting policymakers and shaping public policy
. The greater the policy differences between the candidates, the more likely voters will be able to steer government policies by their choices.
Who decides the presidential election if no one wins the Electoral College?
If no candidate receives the majority of electoral votes, the vote goes to the House of Representatives. House members choose the new president from among the top three candidates. The Senate elects the vice president from the remaining top two candidates.
What is the major importance of the 12th Amendment?
Passed by Congress December 9, 1803, and ratified June 15, 1804, the 12th Amendment provided for separate Electoral College votes for President and Vice President, correcting weaknesses in the earlier electoral system which were responsible for the controversial Presidential Election of 1800.
What are the arguments for keeping the Electoral College system quizlet?
arguments for the electoral college:
promotes unity in the nation by requiring a candidate to have support from various regions in order to be elected
. a candidate cannot receive support from only one region and expect to be president regardless of the size of the population. enhances the status of minority groups.
