US candidates and the electoral system
Nov-10-00
1. The Candidates
 George Bush (REPUBLICAN PARTY) |
Born in New Haven, Connecticut, on December 6, 1946. Married to Laura Welch with whom he has twins, Barbara and Jenna. Graduated from Yale and got his MBA at the Harvard Business School. Son of former president Bush and descendant to another President Franklin Pierce, this Methodist oil businessman failed to win a seat in the House of Representatives in 1977. In 1994, he won the election for Texas governor and was re-elected in 1998. |
 Albert Gore (DEMOCRAT PARTY) |
Born in Washington DC on March 31, 1948. Married to Mary Elizabeth Aitcheson, he has four children: Karenna, Kristin, Sarah and Albert. Graduated in Governmental Affairs from Harvard and got a master’s degree in Theology from the Vanderbilt University. Worked as journalist. Author of book ‘Earth in the Balance’ on the environment. This Baptists has 24 years’ political experience; 8 years at House of Representatives, 8 at the Senate and 8 as Vice President. |
 Ralph Nader (GREEN PARTY) |
Born in Winsted, Connecticut, on February 27, 1934, Son of Lebanese immigrants. Single, no children. Graduated cum laude from Princeton, Law degree from Harvard. Ran for 1996 presidential election obtaining 1% of votes. Known as the American Gandhi and the People’s defender.
|
 Pat Buchanan (REFORM PARTY) |
Born in Washington DC on November 2, 1938. Deeply Catholic, married to Shelley Ann Scarney. Attended a Jesuits school and got a master’s in Journalism from Georgetown University, Columbia. Author of five books, among them ‘A Republic, not an Empire’ proved controversial. Ventured into politics in 1966 as advisor to Richard Nixon, a duty later discharged by Ronald Reagan.
|
2. How do Americans vote:
When Americans cast ballots to elect a president many believe they are taking part of a direct presidential election. However, technically this is not so because since the XVIII century Americans have had the so-called Electoral College.
Under this system, a number of ‘voters’ are appointed by political activists and party members of every state and on the election day those voters, advocates of one of the candidates, are elected through the people’s votes.
In December, after the presidential ballot, electoral colleges meet in the corresponding capitals of the states and cast their ballots for President and Vice President. The magic number of electoral votes needed to become the president is 270.
The number of electoral votes in a state equals the number of senators and representatives it has except for District of Columbia which lacks Congress representation but has three electoral votes.
To be elected to the presidency a candidate must win a majority of the country's electoral college votes. There is a total of 538 electoral college votes. A candidate must gather 270 to win the electoral college. If neither presidential candidate reaches majority, then the House of Representatives will decide on the winner among the three candidates who headed the election. Therefore, the House members vote for the states and each state’s delegation casts a vote.
The President and the Vice President are due to swear in and take office on the following January 20.
3.Electoral votes state-by-state (in proportion to the size of its population):
|
STATE
|
Electoral
Votes
|
STATE
|
Electoral
Votes
|
| AL – Alabama |
9
|
MT – Montana
|
3
|
| AK – Alaska |
3
|
NE – Nebraska
|
5
|
| AZ – Arizon |
8
|
NV – Nevada
|
4
|
| AR – Arkansas |
6
|
NH – Nueva Hampshire
|
4
|
| CA – California |
54
|
NJ - Nueva Jersey
|
15
|
| CO – Colorado |
8
|
NM - Nuevo México
|
5
|
| CT – Connecticut |
8
|
NY - Nueva York
|
33
|
| DE – Delaware |
3
|
NC – Carolina del Norte
|
14
|
| FL – Florida |
25
|
ND - Dakota del Norte
|
3
|
| GA – Georgia |
13
|
OH – Ohio
|
21
|
| HI – Hawaii |
4
|
OK – Oklahoma
|
8
|
| ID – Idaho |
4
|
OR – Oregon
|
7
|
| IL – Illinois |
22
|
PA – Pennsylvania
|
23
|
| IN – Indiana |
12
|
RI - Rhode Island
|
4
|
| IA – Iowa |
7
|
SC – Carolina del Sur
|
8
|
| KS – Kansas |
6
|
SD - Dakota del Sur
|
3
|
| KY – Kentucky |
8
|
TN – Tennessee
|
11
|
| LA – Luisiana |
9
|
TX – Tejas
|
32
|
| ME – Maine |
4
|
UT – Utah
|
5
|
| MD – Maryland |
10
|
VT – Vermont
|
3
|
| MA – Massachusetts |
12
|
VA – Virginia
|
13
|
| MI – Michigan |
18
|
WA – Washington
|
5
|
| MN – Minnesota |
10
|
WV - Virginia Occidental
|
11
|
| MS – Misisipi |
7
|
WI – Wisconsin
|
11
|
| MO – Missouri |
11
|
WY – Wyoming
|
3
|
| DC – Distrito de Columbia |
--
|
TOTAL:
|
538
|
Nueva Mayoría.com
Related Issues:
US: Election Results and the role of Florida
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