Introduction
Over 140 million people voted for a President in 2020 but on election night the only votes that mattered were 270 of 538. This e-learning module will examine the little understood Electoral College that allows 270 votes to determine who the President will be, even if the national popular vote disagrees.
Election night coverage is all about who can reach 270 votes first, an Electoral College majority. In a Democracy, the candidate with the most votes would become President. So, spoiler alert, we are NOT a Democracy, we are a Representative Republic. We elect the members of the Electoral College and they, on our behalf, elect the President.
Instructional Goal
After completing this e-learning module the student will be able to describe the foundation of the Electoral College, how it operates, and what function it serves.
Sub Goal 1: Identify the constitutional basis for the Electoral College.
After completing this lesson teachers will be able to:
· Objective 1.1: Define the Electoral College.
· Objective 1.2: Describe the contentious atmosphere under which the Founding Fathers established the Electoral College.
· Objective 1.3: Interpret the 12th Amendment of the Constitution.
· Objective 1.4: Calculate the number of Electorates each state and DC receive.
· Objective 1.5: Summarize how the members of the Electoral College are selected today.
Sub Goal 2: Describe how the Electoral College operates.
After completing this lesson teachers will be able to:
· Objective 2.1: Contrast Winner-take-all with proportional electoral votes.
· Objective 2.2: Differentiate between pledged and unpledged Electorates.
· Objective 2.3: Define when the President is officially elected.
· Objective 2.4: Explain when the House of Representatives would select the President.
Sub Goal 3: Identify when Electoral College has elected a President who lost the popular vote.
After completing this lesson teachers will be able to:
· Objective 3.1: Name the number of times the Electoral College has elected a different President than the popular vote.
· Objective 3.2: List the years the Electoral College vote differed from the popular vote.
· Objective 3.3: Summarize why no elected President has sought to eliminate the Electoral College.
Sub Goal 4: Examine discussions to replace the Electoral College with the popular vote and predict the impact of the change.
· Objective 4.1: Describe why the Founding Fathers rejected electing Presidents by popular vote.
· Objective 4.2: Identify how candidates would no longer have to appeal to a broad array of geographic, economic, and social interests.
· Objective 4.3: Identify ways in which majority ruling could still be respectful of the losing minority interests and values.
· Objective 4.4: Predict which states a candidate for President could campaign in, and win while ignoring the voters in all other states.
Intended Audience
The intended audience of this e-learning module is voters who every four years try to determine why 270 Electoral College voters, and not the over 140 million voters, determine who the President will be. Particularly 270 people elect someone who did not win the majority of the millions of votes, and as always, the pontificators start pontificating about eliminating the Electoral College.
Those with the ability to read and comprehend English on a 10th-grade level will be able to fully participate in this course. No prior subject matter knowledge is necessary. Only basic, enter-level computer skills are necessary and access to a computer with audio and video capability. This course is ADA compliant.
This free e-learning module is open to all registered voters. The audience for this modular is expected to be as diverse as the American voting population. The module begins on the first Wednesday of each month and has a maximum enrollment of 270 students.
Learning Environment and Context
This is an asynchronous e-learning module designed for students to take independently, when and where they find convenient. The content of this e-learning module will be apolitical. Should a student be able to demonstrate that any statement in this module is overtly political they will receive 5% extra credit if they can rewrite the statement in an apolitical manner.
There is no accompanying written material for this module. Students will need access to a smartphone, mini-pad, or computer with audio and visual capability.
Summary
The Electoral College was a point of contention among the Founding Fathers and continues to be one today, especially in years like 2016, when it selects a President that lost the popular vote. An understanding of the history of the Electoral College, how it operates, and the purpose it serves is information all voters should know. Gaining a distinction of a Democracy from a Representative Republic, and the issues to be examined when considering eliminating the Electoral College.