davis > 161 test > Flashcards

161 test Flashcards

(76 cards)

Study These Flashcards
1
Q

Why was the Electoral College created?

A

It was a compromise at the 1787 Constitutional Convention to resolve how to elect the president—balancing state and national power, large and small states, and direct vs. indirect democracy.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What concerns shaped the design of the Electoral College

A

Framers feared direct popular election (due to limited communication and potential demagoguery) but also distrusted congressional selection (which could cause corruption or imbalance among branches).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What article established the Electoral College?

A

Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

How are states allocated electors?

A

Each state receives electors equal to its total number of Senators (2) plus Representatives.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Who cannot serve as an elector?

A

Members of Congress or anyone holding a federal office.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

How did the original system of voting work in the Electoral College?

A

Each elector cast two votes for president; the candidate with the most votes became president, and the runner-up became vice president.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What happened if no one received a majority in the Electoral College?

A

The House of Representatives decided the election, voting by state delegations (one vote per state).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Why did the system work early on (1789, 1792)?

A

George Washington was unanimously supported, avoiding party conflict.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What problem emerged in the 1796 election?

A

John Adams (Federalist) became president and Thomas Jefferson (Democratic-Republican) became vice president — rivals from opposing parties.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What crisis occurred in 1800?

A

Jefferson and Burr tied (both from the same party), sending the election to the House; it revealed the flaw of casting two undifferentiated votes.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What was the purpose of the 12th Amendment?

A

It required electors to cast separate votes for president and vice president, aligning the system with the emerging two-party structure.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

How did the 12th amendment change the backup procedures?

A
  • If no presidential majority: the House chooses from the top three.
  • If no vice-presidential majority: the Senate chooses from the top two.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

How was slavery tied to the Electoral College?

A

The 3/5 Compromise inflated southern representation in the House, which in turn boosted those states’ Electoral Votes.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

How did the 14th Amendment change the 3/5ths compromise?

A

It replaced the 3/5 rule with “the whole number of persons” for representation, removing the constitutional advantage for slave states.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Who determines how electors are chosen?

A

Each state legislature, under Article II, Section 1.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What did McPherson v. Blacker (1892) decide?

A

The Supreme Court confirmed that state legislatures have broad, plenary power to decide how electors are appointed (districts, statewide, etc.).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is the “winner-take-all” (WTA) system?

A

In 48 states and D.C., the candidate with the most votes statewide wins all of that state’s Electoral Votes.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What exceptions exist in the WTA system?

A

Maine and Nebraska use the district system — 2 statewide electors plus one per congressional district.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Why does WTA matter politically?

A

It magnifies state-level outcomes and can produce national inversions (when the popular-vote winner loses the presidency).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What did Federalist No. 68 argue?

A

Alexander Hamilton claimed the system balanced independence, deliberation, and state input — protecting against corruption and mob influence.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

How did the Founders expect electors to behave in Federalist No. 68?

A

As informed, independent individuals using personal judgment — not as partisan agents bound to parties.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Has that expectation held true (how Founders expect electors to behave in Federalist No. 68)?

A

No. Political parties quickly turned electors into pledged representatives of each party’s candidate.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

How many total Electoral Votes exist today?

A

538 — 435 House seats + 100 Senators + 3 for D.C.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

How many are needed to win the presidency?

A

270.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
What determines campaign strategy in Modern Electoral College Mechanics?
Winning 270 votes by targeting enough states (not the national vote total).
26
Why are some states ignored during campaigns?
Because they are “safe” for one party (predictable outcomes), leaving focus on battleground or swing states where margins are close.
27
How do we classify states politically?
- Republican advantage: consistently red in recent elections - Democratic advantage: consistently blue - Battlegrounds: competitive, variable outcomes
28
How are battleground/swing states identified?
Based on previous election results and state-level polling during the current cycle.
29
What is an electoral inversion?
When the candidate who wins the national popular vote loses the Electoral College.
30
How close was an inversion in 2024?
A shift of only 114,885 votes in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin (0.07% nationally) could have flipped the Electoral College, even though Republicans still won the popular vote.
31
What does inversion show about the system?
Small vote shifts in key states can determine the presidency, regardless of national popular vote totals.
32
Why do third parties rarely win Electoral Votes?
Because of the winner-take-all rule — they must outpoll both major parties in at least one state.
33
How do public opinion and party loyalty reinforce why third parties rarely win Electoral Votes?
About 85%+ of Americans identify with or lean toward a major party, leaving little space for independents.
34
What’s a “spoiler” effect?
When a third-party candidate siphons enough votes from a major party to change the state outcome (e.g., 2000 New Hampshire, 2020 Georgia)
35
What is the NPV Compact?
An agreement among states to award their Electoral Votes to the national popular vote winner, ensuring that candidate becomes president once the Compact covers 270 EVs.
36
Why not amend the Constitution directly for an NPV Compact?
A constitutional amendment requires 2/3 of Congress and 3/4 of states — highly unlikely given partisan divisions.
37
How does the NPVIC (National Popular Vote Interstate Compact) work legally?
The Constitution gives states authority to decide how to allocate electors. States voluntarily join the compact.
38
How many states have adopted the NPVIC so far?
17 states + D.C., totaling 209 Electoral Votes.
39
How many more are needed for the NPVIC to take effect?
61 more EVs (270 – 209 = 61).
40
What are the political patterns of adoption?
Strongly Democratic and Democratic-leaning states have adopted; Republican or swing states have not.
41
Why might swing states oppose the political patterns of adoption?
They would lose their strategic campaign importance under a national popular vote system.
42
Could NPV politics change in the future?
Possibly — if inversions begin to favor Democrats rather than Republicans, partisan support for reform could shift.
43
What does the Electoral College illustrate about U.S. politics?
It blends federalism, partisanship, and institutional design — demonstrating how rules shape political outcomes.
44
What lesson does history show about the Electoral College?
Electoral systems evolve to serve political interests, not purely ideological principles.
45
Why does the Electoral College persist despite criticism?
It benefits existing power structures, is difficult to change constitutionally, and reflects deep political and regional divisions.
46
What triggered the dispute in McPherson v. Blacker (1892)?
Michigan passed a law in 1891 allocating its Electoral Votes by congressional district rather than statewide (winner-take-all). Republican electors challenged the law, arguing it violated the Constitution.
47
What constitutional issue was at the center of the McPherson v. Blacker (1892) case?
Whether a state legislature has the exclusive authority to determine how electors are chosen — and whether the district system was constitutional under Article II, Section 1.
48
Why was Michigan’s system controversial at the time of the McPherson v. Blacker (1892) case?
Most other states had shifted to the winner-take-all rule, and critics claimed Michigan’s district-based approach diluted the state’s unified political influence.
49
What did the Supreme Court decide in McPherson v. Blacker?
The Court unanimously upheld Michigan’s law, ruling that state legislatures have plenary (complete) power under Article II to decide how to appoint electors.
50
How did the Court interpret Article II, Section 1, Clause 2 (“Each State shall appoint…in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct”) for McPherson v. Blacker?
The Court read this as a broad grant of authority—meaning the federal government and voters have no constitutional right to dictate a state’s method of selecting electors.
51
Did the Court view this power as limited by state constitutions in McPherson v. Blacker?
The Court suggested the power resides directly in the legislature as a federal function, even beyond ordinary state constitutional limits.
52
What precedent in McPherson v. Blacker set for future elections?
It confirmed that state legislatures could choose electors in any manner—popular vote, legislative appointment, or district system—without violating federal law.
53
Why is McPherson v. Blacker often cited in modern election disputes?
Because it reinforces the principle that state legislatures have primary control over electoral appointment methods — a key issue in cases like Bush v. Gore (2000) and debates about “independent state legislature” theory.
54
How does McPherson relate to federalism?
It emphasizes that states are sovereign actors in presidential elections, exercising power directly granted by the U.S. Constitution rather than delegated by Congress.
55
What are potential democratic criticisms of the ruling in McPherson v. Blacker?
Critics argue that it gives state legislatures the ability to override popular will, since the Constitution doesn’t require them to hold a popular vote for electors.
56
What practical effect did McPherson have on Michigan’s system?
Although the Court upheld the district plan, Michigan reverted to winner-take-all shortly after, showing that political pressure—not legal limits—drove electoral methods.
57
How does McPherson affect current debates about the National Popular Vote Compact (NPVIC)?
It provides constitutional support — since states can legally decide to allocate their electors to the national popular vote winner if they choose.
58
How has McPherson been invoked in recent cases or controversies?
It was heavily cited in Bush v. Gore (2000) and in 2020 election litigation, where arguments focused on whether state legislatures could alter or reclaim election authority.
59
What tension does McPherson highlight in the U.S. electoral system?
The conflict between democratic participation (popular vote) and constitutional federalism (state control).
60
What lesson about “electoral rules” does McPherson reinforce for political science?
Electoral procedures are political tools — states and parties adjust them to serve partisan and institutional interests, not abstract democratic ideals.
61
Why did Hamilton write Federalist No. 68?
To defend the proposed method of selecting the president under the new Constitution, reassuring skeptics that it balanced popular input with institutional safeguards against corruption and demagoguery.
62
What political fears shaped Hamilton’s reasoning for Federalist No. 68?
Widespread fear of foreign influence, mob rule, and congressional dominance. The framers wanted a system that would prevent direct popular manipulation and avoid corruption by foreign powers or factional interests.
63
How did Hamilton’s essay fit within the broader Federalist Papers?
It appears in a sequence (Federalist No. 67–77) explaining the executive branch, particularly how to ensure a strong but accountable presidency.
64
According to Hamilton, why should electors, not Congress, choose the president?
To prevent the legislative branch from controlling the executive — preserving separation of powers and avoiding dependency or corruption.
65
Why did Hamilton favor electors chosen by the people in each state?
Because it added an element of popular legitimacy while keeping decision-making at one remove from the general public, which he viewed as a safeguard against impulsive or uninformed choices.
66
Why did Hamilton prefer electors to meet in their own states rather than in one national capital?
To minimize collusion and corruption — dispersed meetings made it harder for foreign powers or domestic factions to coordinate undue influence.
67
What kind of person did Hamilton hope would be chosen as president under this system?
A figure distinguished by merit, virtue, and talents, selected through thoughtful deliberation rather than demagoguery or partisan manipulation.
68
What was the purpose of having the House of Representatives decide if no candidate received a majority of electoral votes?
It served as a secondary safeguard to ensure a legitimate resolution while preventing the presidency from being won by a candidate with only regional support.
69
How did Hamilton’s proposal attempt to prevent “foreign intrigue”?
By requiring that electors be independent citizens not holding federal office, and by keeping the selection process localized and decentralized.
70
What does Federalist 68 reveal about the framers’ attitude toward political parties?
Hamilton wrote before organized parties existed; he assumed elections would center on personal character and competence, not partisan identity — a major difference from modern practice.
71
How has the modern Electoral College diverged from Hamilton’s vision?
Today, electors are party loyalists, not independent deliberators. The process is pre-determined by state popular votes and winner-take-all rules, not reflective deliberation.
72
Would Hamilton have supported the winner-take-all system used today?
Probably not. He imagined a reasoned, independent selection by electors, not a system where votes are mechanically bound to party results.
73
How does Federalist 68 help us understand debates about the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact?
It reminds us that the framers valued state control and institutional buffers, but also wanted the president to reflect the general sense of the people — a tension that remains central to today’s reform discussions.
74
How is Hamilton’s fear of “demagogues” relevant to modern campaigns?
Modern mass media and social media amplify emotional appeals — the very dynamic Hamilton hoped the Electoral College would buffer against.
75
What democratic criticisms can be raised against Hamilton’s design?
Critics argue that the original system was elitist, trusting a small group of elites over the general public, which conflicts with later democratic ideals of equal representation.
76
How does Federalist 68 reflect broader Federalist themes about human nature and governance?
It embodies the belief that institutions should restrain passions, balancing energy in government with stability and reasoned judgment
davis
flashcards
Decks in class (13)
# Cards
Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2026 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions