TITLE: MAJORITY RULES
AUTHOR: Daniel R. Toomey, Denver Academy, Denver, CO.
GRADE LEVEL: Appropriate for grades 5 and up.
OVERVIEW: Students will gain a working understanding of the
Electoral College. The Electoral College elects our
President and not popular vote. This activity will help
show how the President is elected.
OBJECTIVE(s):
1. Explain how each state receives it's electoral votes.
Each state has many Electors as it has Senators and
Representatives in Congress. Every state has two
Senators. The number of Representatives is based on
the state's population.
2. Identify the "key states" and why are they titled that.
3. Demonstrate how "key states" can be important to the
candidates.
4. Describe and define "majority rules". Electoral votes
are cast by just 538 people representing the 50 states.
The candidate who receives the most votes wins the
state. The candidate who wins at least 270 electoral
votes becomes President in a two candidate election.
If there are three candidates, and no one receives a
majority, the President is chosen by the House of
Representatives. When the House votes, each state gets
one vote. The candidate who wins a majority of votes,
or 26 states, becomes President. The Vice President is
chosen by the Senate.
5. Discover the different state combinations to find the
majority of 270.
MATERIALS: Blank map of the United States
Colored pencils
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES: Have students color-code the map
the way they feel the outcome of the election would be.
Students pick colors for the candidates and color the states
on the basis of whom they feel will win the state.
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER: Explain that Congress is expected
to vote the way the people (majority) vote, but this is not
always the case. The candidate who wins the state receives
all of that states electoral votes. Also, show, that the
President can win the majority of the popular vote but loose
the election.
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