What state is the most over represented by the electoral college?
Critical Analysis
Find answers to the following questions using the visual above, any links below, your big brain, and your knowledge of American government and politics:
According to the visual above, in what state are electoral votes most underallocated compared to their total population?
According to the visual above, in what state are electoral votes most overerallocated compared to their total population?
According to the visual above, in your state, are electoral votes more overerallocated or underallocated compared to their total population?
How many electoral votes per person does your state have?
Why do different states have different numbers of electoral votes per capita from one another?
Describe the mechanism by which the electoral vote power of some states is greater than others:
Describe the history by which the electoral vote power of some states is greater than others:
Central to the concept of democracy is the idea that all people are politically equal. Some would claim that in a truly democratic country, every person in every state would have the same electoral votes per person (in other words, the color of each state on the map would be the same). Respond to this claim.
Make a claim explaining the connection between the map above and this year’s midterm election.
How does the map of state electoral vote power by population (above) relate to the map of state electoral vote power by population who are eligible voters (below)*?
Write and Discuss
Take ten minutes to write about the question at the top of the page and then discuss with your classmates.
Act on your Learning
The National Popular Vote Plan is a proposal to undo the unequal power of the electoral college. Read about the plan and contact your state legislator to share your opinion of the plan.
Get Creative
You know how colleges all have t-shirts, sweat shirts, hoodies and all kinds of merch? Design your own t-shirt for the Electoral College!
Learning Extension
Read about the fact that the electoral college was created to empower slave states. Then check out Ravi’s interactive map of relative electoral votes per person per state.