Electoral College Article & Map Activity | Civics & American Government

In this How Do We Choose the Next President? Electoral College Article & Activity, students read a 2-page article, answer comprehension questions in a review, then use a chart of Red, Blue, and Swing states to fill out a map of the United States. Perfect for middle or high school Civics, American History, and American Government classes, this worksheet and activity set will help your students tackle the tricky, sometimes confusing world of the Electoral College in a clear, easy to understand way.

Compatible with the Florida State Standard for Middle School Civics: SS.7.CG.3.14, “Explain the purpose and function of the Electoral College in electing the President of the United States.”

This Electoral College resource includes:

✯ A 2-Page Article explaining the difference between a popular vote and the Electoral College and details how presidential candidates must embark on the Road to 270 if they want to win the election. 

• The concepts of popular vote, the Electoral College, electors, Red States, Blue States, and Swing States are covered. 
• Students analyze a primary source quote from the United States Constitution to determine how many electors each state is given in the Electoral College vote.

✯ In the Review worksheet, students are quizzed on key vocabulary and concepts from the article, checking their comprehension and understanding of the Electoral College, as well as asking students to reflect on whether the Electoral College is a fairer and more effective system than a simple popular vote.

Questions include:

• Who wins in a popular vote?
• Is the Electoral College an example of a direct or representative democracy? 
• In your opinion, do you think the Electoral College system is fair, or would you favor America switching to a popular vote to elect its next President? 

✯ The Mapping the Electoral College Chart & Map Activity is a 2-page worksheet. The first page lists the various Red, Blue, and Swing States with their respective votes. A number of comprehension questions, some involving simple math, others testing chart-reading skills, follow.

Questions include:

• If a Republican won all of the Red States, how many votes would they still need in order to win a majority of the Electoral College?
• What are the top 3 Swing States with the most votes?

The second page of the activity includes a blank map of the United States and asks students to:

• Mark each state with their number of electoral votes, then color it in: Red for Red States, Blue for Blue States, and Purple for Swing States! 

This final activity is great to have the students do in groups or with a partner — or, you can assign it as homework! 

This resource comes as a non-editable, printable PDF and includes an Answer Key. There is also a digital version available through TPT Easel, which can be assigned directly to Google Classroom or shared with your students via a link!

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