Electoral College: Does Your Vote for President Count?

Mr. Citizen, Here’s How Little Your Vote Counts

Overview

Students work in groups to analyze an historical newspaper article then investigate to understand the historical context of the Electoral College and consider its strengths and weaknesses. After, students continue their work together to investigate and opine on the pros and cons of the Electoral College today and possible solutions for reform.

Related Resources

Electoral College: Are All Votes Equal?
middle school lesson
The Constitutional Amendment
middle/high school lesson
A Look at the Electoral College through Math and U.S. History Lenses
Teaching with the Library of Congress blog post
Primary Source Learning: Presidential Elections
lessons and more teaching resources

Access

Grade

High School

Subjects

Civics, Social Studies

Length

80-120 minutes

Topics

Electoral College reform, National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, elections, electoral college, guided primary source analysis, presidential elections, structured academic controversy, voting