Teaching Election Inversions in the Electoral College: Two Simple Models

ABSTRACT

The Electoral College is an important concept in many undergraduate American politics courses. Although students often understand the basics of the “House-seats-plus-two” rule and the “winner-take-all” system, many struggle to understand election inversions, in which the winner of the popular vote loses the Electoral College vote and therefore loses the presidency. This article presents two models using only foundational arithmetic to explain election inversions, including an example illustrating how a Republican candidate could also win the popular vote but lose the Electoral College vote. A survey of student-learning experiences showed positive results: students found the models accessible and helpful, and they reported greater confidence in the integrity of US presidential elections and in American democracy after working with the materials. These models can be incorporated into a range of American politics courses to help even first-year undergraduate students make sense of the US presidential election system.