Electoral College vs. Popular Vote

  • Description

  • Description

    This lesson allows for students to try voting for themselves in order to explore the Electoral College voting system. The students should be divided into three unequal groups representing three states with different populations and a different number Electoral College votes. Each "state" will vote using the Activote devices and then mark their votes on the Results Page in both Electoral and Popular vote. They can use the calculator tool to determine the % of each vote in their group. Then the states will combine to see who won and how the winner's percentage of Electoral College votes differed from their percentage of popular vote. You can try this several times to explore under which conditions this can change. You can use this activity to begin exploring why the writers of the U.S. Constitution decided to elect our presidents in this way. What are the advantages, the disadvantages?  Do the students think it should be changed?  Does every U.S. citizen really have an "equal vote?"

Resource Information

Date Added : 11 Sep 2006
Views : 1590 Views
Downloads 364 Downloads
Submitted By
Lisa Dubernard
Age Grades
Age 14-16,
Age 16-18
Subject Areas
History

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