The first of this years column series ran two weeks ago, and weve seen a lot of polling data since. Nate silvers fivethirtyeight uses statistical analysis hard numbers to tell compelling stories about elections, politics, sports, science, economics and lifestyle. There are 538 electors from the 50 states and the district of columbia. Aug 24, 2016 the funky math of the electoral college. List of 2008 united states presidential electors wikipedia. These people are responsible for electing the president and vice president by deciding by majority vote within the college new york times, 2008. Click the map to create your own at the reason for the electoral college invention was so that large populated states such as california andor. The electoral college website now has an easytoremember address. Why low voter turnout can be a healthy sign that the electoral system is actually working well. Five things you need to know about the electoral college. And it really helps candidates if they win in an upset, since thats a sign that they may be beating their polls everywhere. The mathematics of voting and elections by jonathan k.
The funky math of the electoral college scientific american. Volume 48, issues 910, november 2008, pages 961408. That, after all, is how silver made his bones when political analysis was just a hobby back in 2008. The person who wants to be president must get more than half of them. Oct 19, 2016 one such thing that may not make obvious sense is why there are 538 electors. But the electoral college has not actually voted yet, and that vote is what ultimately elects the president. Constitution lays out just three requirements to be eligible to become president. Each answer shows how to solve a textbook problem, one step at a time. Oct 17, 2016 they almost always meet in person at the state capital. Sides are not all congruent square equilateral triangle. The number of members in the house of representatives is based on each represented states population. There were a few overall patterns that seemingly worked to the benefit of democratic presidential candidates. Click on the states either red for republican or blue for democrat and see if your predictions come true.
If you prefer, you can also use the 2016 electoral map or the 2018 midterm election vote as the starting point for your own electoral forecast. You must be at least 35 years old, have lived in the u. Three months later, clinton extended her projected win to 320 to 218. Students will use tools and construction techniques to demonstrate geometry prowess and be able to observe the golden rectangle in nature and in the classroom. This book will help you improve your problem solving skills and show you how you can use your math now, and in your future career. One month out at six months to go before the election, presidential politics for america projected a 276 to 262 electoral college result in favor of hillary clinton. Nov 05, 2012 but what is the electoral college and how does it work. In terms of the electoral college, states such as wyoming and colorado are large and pennsylvania and new hampshire are small. The technical flaws of the electoral college system were never more evident than during the 2000s election.
This book examines the history of the electoral college. Ck12 foundation is a nonprofit organization with a mission to reduce the cost of textbook materials for the k12 market both in the u. One such thing that may not make obvious sense is why there are 538 electors. The 1996 elections, a book, and voting by donald g saari includes a description of a voting paradox, a summary of the authors book, basic geometry of voting, an overview of presenting this material in a fourth grade classroom, and a link to the article, the symmetry and complexity of elections. Bush were the democratic and republican nominees respectively. Geometry textbooks free homework help and answers slader. But north carolina just isnt that important to the electoral math. Interactive electoral college map pick the president 2016. President live election night forecast fivethirtyeight. Geometry connections geometry connections homework help. The electoral college system of the united states essay. A much discussed paradox of the 2000 presidential election is the fact that despite winning the popular vote, al gore lost the election to george w. The gops electoral map problem the washington post.
Fivethirtyeights nate silver blasts huffington post writer. The answer is intuitive if you know a key piece of electoral college trivia. But what is the electoral college and how does it work. Discussion 3 the electoral college is comprised of 538. The guinness book of world records once found that the oldest living human being was. On october 17, silver appeared on the daily show with jon stewart to discuss his recent book and more about the election and the related math. Getting ready for the next lesson 530, 538, 544, 552. There are 538 total electors in the electoral college.
For example, if wisconsin has been called for clinton, the model can infer that shes more likely to win minnesota. According to article ii, section 1, clause 2 of the constitution, each state legislature determines the manner by which its states electors are chosen. The electoral college is tricky enough to wrap your mind around in general, so you might not have thought to wonder. It is an odd but important system that dates back to the first election in the u. At the top end of the range, for example, theres california, which, as the most populous state, takes its two electors for each senator, and then is awarded 53 more for its congressmen and women, for a total of 55. The whole book is about how even though we have more information, why we dont know how to use it well, said silver. The electoral college is comprised of 538 individuals called electors from all of the 50 states. Nov 11, 2012 the gops electoral map problem by chris. An extended version of the interview is available online. Ted kaufman democrat who had been appointed by the governor of delaware to temporarily fill the. And since the number of electors is limited to 538, some states get less proportionately. The electoral college function is made up of 538 electors who.
American politics questions online american politics tutors. This is a list of electors members of the electoral college who cast ballots to elect the president of the united states and vice president of the united states in the 2008 presidential election. If the gerrymander oligarchs want to avoid civil war ii, then they must abolish the super time bomb antidemocracy minority rule gerrymander electoral college. Stepbystep solutions to all your geometry homework questions slader. In writing this sixth edition our purpose is to further enhance the utility of the book as an instructional tool for. Unlike many elections for public office where a person is elected strictly based on the results of a popular vote i. What the voters actually do is choose a slate of electors in their state who make up the electoral college. This title takes an indepth look at the mathematics in the context of voting and electoral systems, with focus on simple ballots. Nov 05, 2012 on october 17, silver appeared on the daily show with jon stewart to discuss his recent book and more about the election and the related math. What many people dont realize is that they could still change who becomes the next president.
If you can read 8 pages in 30 minutes, then you can read a book in a day. The electoral college has 538 members, and each state plus the district of columbia sends elec tors to participate in the process. The mathematics of elections and voting request pdf. By the way, all of the pages in your texas go math. Politico lists the 538 presidential electors for 2016. The process, as im sure you know, begins with primaries, and concludes with a race between the winner of each primary and any third party candidates.
Oct 17, 2003 why low voter turnout can be a healthy sign that the electoral system is actually working well. That figure includes a couple of cases florida and virginia that are close to being tied in the model right now. The electoral college is tricky enough to wrap your mind around in. Geometry of voting studies in economic theory saari, donald g. Every four years on election day, anyone registered to vote. Electoral college essay examples download free or order. A users guide to fivethirtyeights 2016 general election. The map below displays cnn s best estimate of the key states that will likely decide the 2012 presidential election. Heres where the race stands, with the states ordered by the projected margin between the candidates clintons strongest states are farthest left, trumps farthest right and sized by the number of. They almost always meet in person at the state capital. Fivethirtyeight founder nate silver has heard these criticisms before.
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