Why did the electoral college start?
The Founding Fathers established the Electoral College in the Constitution, in part, as a compromise between the election of the President by a vote in Congress and election of the President by a popular vote of qualified citizens.
How were the first presidents elected?
On April 6, 1789, the House and Senate, meeting in joint session, counted the electoral votes and certified that Washington had received electoral votes from each of the 69 electors that had cast votes, and thus had been elected president.
Is the electoral college the same as delegates?
Delegate: A person authorized to represent others as an elected representative to a political party conference. Elector: A member of the electoral college. Electoral College: The voters of each state, and the District of Columbia, vote for electors to be the authorized constitutional members in a presidential election.
How is the Electoral College members chosen?
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.
How long does a recount take?
Most counties can recount all ballots in one day. Some counties may take two days. King County will need approximately four days to recount all ballots.
How do states decide who gets Electoral College votes?
Under the “Electoral College” system, each state is assigned a certain number of “votes”. The formula for determining the number of votes for each state is simple: each state gets two votes for its two US Senators, and then one more additional vote for each member it has in the House of Representatives.
When did the presidential term limits begin?
The amendment was passed by Congress in 1947, and was ratified by the states on 27 February 1951. The Twenty-Second Amendment says a person can only be elected to be president two times for a total of eight years. It does make it possible for a person to serve up to ten years as president.
What is democratic representation?
Representative democracy, also known as indirect democracy or representative government, is a type of democracy founded on the principle of elected persons representing a group of people, as opposed to direct democracy. Representative democracy places power in the hands of representatives who are elected by the people.
Did Congress ever have term limits?
As of 2013, term limits at the federal level are restricted to the executive branch and some agencies. Judicial appointments at the federal level are made for life, and are not subject to election or to term limits. The U.S. Congress remains (since the Thornton decision of 1995) without electoral limits.
What is the definition of substantive representation?
Substantive representation is when an elected official represents the people in the district no matter what the characteristics of the elected official are. If the people of a district want an elected official to vote for higher taxes on the rich, the official will do that even if the elected official is wealthy.
What is delegation with example?
The definition of a delegation is a group of people who have been tasked with a specific job or given a specific purpose, or the act of assigning a specific task or purpose to a person or group of people. When a boss assigns tasks to his employees, this is an example of delegation.
What is a political representative?
What is a Representative? Also referred to as a congressman or congresswoman, each representative is elected to a two-year term serving the people of a specific congressional district. Among other duties, representatives introduce bills and resolutions, offer amendments and serve on committees.
How is the electoral votes for each state determined?
Electoral votes are allocated among the States based on the Census. Every State is allocated a number of votes equal to the number of senators and representatives in its U.S. Congressional delegation—two votes for its senators in the U.S. Senate plus a number of votes equal to the number of its Congressional districts.
Does Electoral College have to follow popular vote?
That’s partially correct. When citizens cast their ballots for president in the popular vote, they elect a slate of electors. Electors then cast the votes that decide who becomes president of the United States. Usually, electoral votes align with the popular vote in an election.
What does a delegate represent?
A delegate is a person selected to represent a group of people in some political assembly of the United States. In the United States Congress delegates are elected to represent the interests of a United States territory and its citizens or nationals.
What is the difference between a representative and a delegate?
Representatives are free to serve the people as they think best. Delegate representation – elected representatives are delegated the responsibility to act in the interests of the people who elected them. This means that representatives would consider their electorate, state or territory when making decisions.
When can a candidate request a recount?
When must a recount request be made? A voter may file a recount request within five days beginning on the 31st day after a statewide election, or within five days following completion of any post canvass risk-limiting audit conducted pursuant to Elections Code section 15560. (Elections Code § 15621(a).)