COMO FUNCIONAM AS ELEIÇÕES NOS EUA

SmallAdvantages

4 Jul 202414:16

Summary

TLDRThe script offers an insightful explanation of the U.S. Electoral College system, using marshmallows to symbolize votes and states. It clarifies why winning the popular vote doesn't always secure a presidential win, highlighting the 'winner takes all' principle at the state level. The video also contrasts the U.S. system with Brazil's, noting differences in voting methods, compulsory voting, and the prevalence of two major parties in the U.S. The script concludes by emphasizing the importance of understanding the electoral process beyond the noise of politics.

Takeaways

🗳️ In the United States, the popular vote does not always determine the election winner due to the Electoral College system.
🍬 The script uses marshmallows to illustrate the concept of state representation and the 'winner takes all' principle in each state's electoral vote.
🏛️ The Electoral College assigns a specific number of delegates to each state based on population, with the most populous states having more delegates.
🏆 The goal in the presidential election is to reach 270 electoral votes out of a total of 538 to win the presidency.
🔴 The script highlights the importance of swing states, which can vote for different parties in different elections and can significantly influence the outcome.
🇺🇸 The two-party system in the U.S., dominated by Democrats and Republicans, makes it difficult for third-party or independent candidates to gain relevance.
🏢 The Electoral College was designed to balance power between states and the federal government, ensuring even smaller states have a voice.
📊 The script mentions a 2020 Pure research Center poll indicating that 58% of adults prefer the president to be elected by popular vote.
🗳️ In Brazil, unlike the U.S., if no candidate gets over 50% of the votes in the first round, a second round is held to ensure majority support.
📝 Voting in the U.S. is typically done by paper ballots or mail-in ballots, not electronic voting, which has its own set of advantages and challenges.
🎉 The script concludes with a reminder to enjoy life beyond the stresses of politics and to find joy in simple pleasures like marshmallows.

Q & A

Why did Donald Trump win the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election despite losing the popular vote to Hillary Clinton?
-Donald Trump won the 2016 election because he secured more electoral votes. In the U.S., the Electoral College system means that the candidate who wins the majority of votes in a state gets all of that state's electoral votes, regardless of the margin of victory. This system can result in a candidate winning the presidency without winning the national popular vote.
What is the 'Winner Takes All' principle in the context of U.S. elections?
-The 'Winner Takes All' principle refers to the method by which the candidate who wins the most votes in a state receives all of that state's electoral votes, not just a proportion based on the vote count. This can lead to a candidate winning the presidency even if they did not receive the most individual votes nationwide.
How does the number of electoral votes per state relate to the state's population?
-The number of electoral votes a state has is based on its population. More populous states, like California, have more electoral votes, while less populous states have fewer. This allocation aims to balance the influence of both large and small states in the election of the U.S. President.
What is the minimum number of electoral votes a state can have, and why?
-The minimum number of electoral votes a state can have is three. This is because each state is guaranteed at least three votes in the Electoral College, regardless of its population, to ensure that smaller states also have a voice in the election process.
What is the total number of electoral votes needed to win the U.S. Presidential Election, and why is this number significant?
-The total number of electoral votes needed to win the U.S. Presidential Election is 270. This is significant because it represents the majority of the 538 electoral votes, and securing a majority is required to win the presidency.
Why do political parties focus on 'swing states' during U.S. elections?
-Political parties focus on 'swing states' because these are states that do not consistently vote for one party and can change their allegiance between elections. Since these states can swing the balance of electoral votes, winning them can be crucial to securing a majority in the Electoral College.
What is the historical purpose of the Electoral College in the United States?
-The Electoral College was designed to balance the power between the states and the federal government. It ensured that even smaller states had a voice in the election of the President, and it provided a practical way to organize and unify the diverse states into a single national decision.
Why is changing the Electoral College system in the United States considered difficult?
-Changing the Electoral College system is difficult because it requires a supermajority in Congress and the approval of three-fourths of the states. Given the current political divide, achieving such consensus is nearly impossible.
How does the U.S. voting system compare to the Brazilian system in terms of voter participation and compulsory voting?
-In the U.S., voting is not compulsory, which means there is a lower voter turnout compared to Brazil, where voting is mandatory. The Brazilian system tends to have a higher participation rate and is considered to provide a more accurate representation of the people's will.
What are the differences between the U.S. and Brazilian election processes in terms of the number of rounds and the timing of elections?
-In the U.S., presidential elections occur every four years, always on the first Tuesday in November. If no candidate receives a majority of votes, there is no second round; the winner is determined by the Electoral College. In Brazil, elections also occur every four years, but they are held on the first Sunday in October, with a possible second round on the last Sunday of October if no candidate gets over 50% of the votes.
How does the method of voting in the U.S. differ from that in Brazil, and what are the implications of these differences?
-In the U.S., voting is done by paper ballots or mail-in ballots, depending on the state. This can be less modern compared to electronic voting systems but avoids some of the issues associated with technology. In contrast, Brazil uses electronic voting, which is more modern but also comes with its own set of challenges.

Outlines

00:00

🗳️ Understanding the U.S. Electoral College System

This paragraph explains the U.S. Electoral College system, highlighting how winning the popular vote does not guarantee election victory. It uses the analogy of marshmallows representing states and their populations to demonstrate the 'winner takes all' principle, where the candidate with the most votes in a state wins all of its electoral votes. The paragraph also introduces the concept of swing states and emphasizes the importance of winning states regardless of the margin of victory, as exemplified by the 2016 election results between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

05:00

🏛️ The Significance of Swing States in U.S. Elections

The second paragraph delves into the importance of swing states in U.S. presidential elections. It contrasts the outcomes of the 2016 and 2020 elections, where despite winning the popular vote, the Democratic candidate lost the electoral vote. The paragraph discusses the distribution of electoral votes among states and the impact of winning key states, even with smaller margins, on the overall election outcome. It also touches on the historical rationale behind the Electoral College and the challenges of changing this system due to the need for a supermajority in Congress and state approvals.

10:01

🌐 Comparing U.S. and Brazilian Election Systems

The final paragraph compares the U.S. Electoral College system with the Brazilian election process, noting the differences in voting mechanisms, the role of political parties, and the impact of compulsory voting in Brazil. It also mentions the challenges of third-party candidates in the U.S. and the higher voter turnout in Brazil due to compulsory voting. The paragraph concludes with a reflection on the upcoming U.S. presidential election in 2024 and a reminder to enjoy life beyond the political sphere, symbolized by the marshmallow analogy and the suggestion to smile and breathe amidst the election fervor.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Electoral College

The Electoral College is a system used in the United States for electing the President and Vice President. It consists of electors who are chosen by each state and the District of Columbia, and the number of electors is based on the state's population. In the video, the Electoral College is explained using marshmallows to represent the electors, emphasizing that the candidate who wins the popular vote in a state does not necessarily win the presidency, as the winner of each state takes all the electoral votes, a concept known as 'winner-takes-all'.

💡Popular Vote

The popular vote refers to the total number of votes cast by individuals for a particular candidate in an election. The script mentions that in 2016, Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes but lost the election to Donald Trump, highlighting the difference between winning the popular vote and winning the Electoral College, which ultimately determines the election outcome.

💡Swing States

Swing states, also known as 'battleground states' or 'purple states,' are those that do not consistently vote for one political party and can swing either way during an election. The video script uses the example of Ohio and Wisconsin to illustrate the importance of swing states in presidential elections, as winning these states can be crucial to reaching the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency.

💡Winner-Takes-All

The 'winner-takes-all' system is a voting system in which the candidate who wins the most votes in a jurisdiction takes all of the electoral votes from that jurisdiction. The script explains this concept using the marshmallow analogy, where the color representing the winning candidate takes all the marshmallows, or electoral votes, from a state.

💡Delegados (Electors)

In the context of the U.S. Electoral College, 'electors' are individuals who cast electoral votes following the popular vote of their state. The script uses the word 'Delegados' to refer to these electors, emphasizing that each state has a specific number of electors based on its population and that these electors represent the voters in the election of the President.

💡Political Parties

The script discusses the dominance of the Democratic and Republican parties in the U.S. political system, noting that while other parties exist and independent candidates are allowed, it is nearly impossible for non-major party candidates to gain relevance. This is related to the theme of the video as it explains the two-party system's impact on the election process and the challenges faced by third-party candidates.

💡Voter Turnout

Voter turnout refers to the percentage of eligible voters who cast a vote in an election. The video mentions that voter turnout in the U.S. is not as high as it could be, with only about 65-70% of people voting, and this is contrasted with the mandatory voting in Brazil, which leads to higher participation and more representative outcomes.

💡Mandatory Voting

Mandatory voting is a system in which citizens are required to vote in elections, as is the case in Brazil. The script contrasts this with the U.S., where voting is not mandatory, and political parties must work harder to encourage voter participation. This concept is used to illustrate the differences in voter engagement and election dynamics between the two countries.

💡Voting Methods

The script touches on the different methods of voting in the U.S., such as paper ballots or mail-in voting, depending on the state. It contrasts this with the more modern electronic voting systems used in Brazil, suggesting that while the U.S. system may be more traditional, it also has its own set of challenges and benefits.

💡Two-Round System

The two-round system, or run-off voting, is a voting method where if no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes in the first round, the top two candidates go to a second round. The script mentions that this system is used in Brazil to ensure that the winner has the support of the majority, which is a key aspect of ensuring democratic representation.

💡Representation

Representation in the context of the video refers to the extent to which the elected officials reflect the will of the people. The script discusses how mandatory voting in Brazil leads to higher participation and more representative outcomes, while in the U.S., the Electoral College system can sometimes result in a president who did not win the popular vote, raising questions about representation.

Highlights

In the 2016 U.S. election, Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes but lost the election to Donald Trump, illustrating the difference between winning the popular vote and the Electoral College.

U.S. elections are not decided by a simple vote count, but through an Electoral College system that assigns electoral votes to states based on population.

The 'Winner Takes All' principle applies in each state, meaning the candidate with the most votes wins all of the state's electoral votes, even if by a small margin.

The Electoral College consists of 538 electoral votes, with the goal for a candidate to win a majority, which is 270 votes.

The two-party system in the U.S. dominates the political landscape, making it difficult for third-party or independent candidates to gain relevance.

The Electoral College can result in a candidate winning the presidency without the majority of the popular vote, as happened five times in U.S. history, including in 2016.

The concept of 'swing states' is introduced, referring to states that can vote for different parties in different elections, making them crucial in close races.

Swing states like Ohio, Florida, and Pennsylvania can significantly influence the election outcome due to their medium size and electoral votes.

The Electoral College was designed to balance power between states and the federal government, ensuring smaller states have a voice in national elections.

The Electoral College system is not perfect and has been criticized, with a 2020 Pure research Center poll showing 58% of adults prefer a popular vote system.

Changing the Electoral College system to a popular vote system would require a supermajority in Congress and approval from 3/4 of the states, making it highly unlikely.

Brazilian elections often have multiple competitive candidates and are held in two rounds if no candidate gets over 50% of the vote in the first round.

Voting in Brazil is mandatory, leading to higher voter turnout and more representative democracy compared to the U.S. where voting is voluntary.

In the U.S., voting is done by paper ballots or mail-in ballots, depending on the state, contrasting with the more modern electronic voting systems used in Brazil.

The U.S. presidential elections occur every four years, on the first Tuesday of November, with the next election scheduled for November 5, 2024.

The presenter uses a creative 'Marshmallows' analogy to explain the Electoral College, aiming to simplify and clarify the complex system for the audience.

The video concludes with a reminder to enjoy life beyond the chaos of politics and to find joy in simple pleasures like Marshmallows.