In this presidential election year, we must remember the answer to the question, “How many people vote for President?” The correct answer is 538. That is it. We, the people, do not vote for the President. We vote for the electors of our state (or DC) to vote for our candidate for President. A lot of people do not understand the Electoral College.
I hope that you will understand it better than you did before you took this quiz. I will test your knowledge. I will ask you questions from some of the previous presidential elections related to the Electoral College. Post your answers in the comments. I will give you the quiz at 10 questions a time. When we have all them answered, we will move on to the next quiz.
- 1789- How many states cast electoral votes in this first election?
- 1792, 1812 and 1976- During the course of US history, what three states got to cast the most electoral votes at some point?
- 1796- The rules governing the Electoral College were different prior to passage of the Twelfth Amendment after the 1800 election. John Adams was elected President and Thomas Jefferson was elected Vice-President. Why was Jefferson elected Vice-President under the rules of the time?
- 1800 -This was one of two elections that was decided by the House of Representatives. When the election goes to the House, how is the winner determined there?
- 1804- This was the first election after the Twelfth Amendment was passed into law. Thomas Jefferson was re-elected President and George Clinton was elected Vice-President. How did the Twelfth Amendment change the procedure for the election of the Vice-President?
- 1808- There were 17 states that participated in the election this year? 10 picked their electors by some version of the popular vote. How did the other 7 pick their electors?
- 1816- What state's electoral votes were in dispute in this election and why?
- 1820- Who was the only person other than incumbent James Monroe to receive and electoral vote?
- 1824- This was the most recent election that was decided by the House of Representatives. Henry Clay received 37 electoral votes, but was eliminated from the election in the House. Why?
- 1836- What was unique to the election of the Vice-President, Richard Johnson that has not happened before or since?
