Monday, January 16, 2017

Monster Middle School Votes for School President: by classroom or by individual?


       Imagine, for a moment, that you and I attend Monster Middle School, and our school is holding an election for School President. The candidates for president are:

Gussy Ghost – 7th grader

Dingbat Dragon – 8th grader

Vermin Vampire – 8th grader

Whispery Werewolf – 9th grader

       These are the homeroom classrooms at Monster Middle School:

7th grade:     5 homeroom classes               20 students each

8th grade:     6 homeroom classes               20 students each

9th grade:     6 homeroom classes               20 students each

Totals:         17 homeroom classes             340 students

       On election day, the students in each homeroom class vote for their favorite candidate. The votes are tallied and the name of the winning candidate is written on a piece of paper which is sent to the office.

       In the office, the homeroom votes are counted to see how many voted for each candidate.

       In order to win the election, a candidate must receive 9 homeroom class votes. This represents the majority out of 17 homeroom classes. In this election, Whispery Werewolf, the 9th grade candidate, receives 9 homeroom class votes, so has won the election. (See Election Results below.)

       This is how the United States elects a President. Citizens vote in their states, then the winner of each state is represented at the office by electors, rather than pieces of paper. The candidate who receives the most elector votes gets the job.

       Back to Monster Middle School. Dingbat Dragon, one of the 8th grade candidates, objects to the election results. According to Dingbat, the number of students at Monster Middle School is 340. A majority of these students would equal 171 votes. Dingbat claims to have received more the 171 votes, so Dingbat then, should get the job of school president.

       Dingbat is a very popular student at MMS. Brothers and sisters of Dingbat are in 7th and 9th grades, and Dingbat is friends with their friends. Also, Dingbat is involved in many MMS activities.

       How can both candidates win the same election by a majority?

       This is exactly what happens sometimes in elections for the United States' President. One candidate wins the most state votes, just as Whispery Werewolf did. Another candidate receives the most individual votes, as Dingbat Dragon did.

       This method of choosing the U. S. President by state, through the Electoral College, is written into the U. S. Constitution, the rules of our country.

       However, as you can see, this method can create conflict between voters and candidates.

       According to the U. S. Constitution, Whispery Werewolf would be the new President of Monster Middle School.

       Does Dingbat Dragon have the right to be President instead?

       What are the advantages of voting for School President by classrooms? What are the advantages of choosing by individual votes?

       If you were in the office at MMS, how would you solve this problem?

       The Electoral College method of choosing a U. S. President is written into the U. S. Constitution, and changing the constitution, or amending it, can be very difficult. What do you think the U. S. should do about this conflict?



MMS School President Election Results:


Gussy Ghost
Dingbat Dragon
Vermin Vampire
Worthy Werewolf
Total votes
Total students
7th grade
A
0
9
0
11
20
20
classrooms
B
3
6
0
11
20
20

C
4
5
0
11
20
20

D
3
11
1
5
20
20

E
4
12
0
4
20
20










14
43
1
42










8th grade
A
0
18
0
2
20
20
classrooms
B
0
15
0
5
20
20

C
0
9
0
11
20
20

D
0
8
1
11
20
20

E
0
4
3
13
20
20

F
0
17
3
0
20
20










0
71
7
42










9th grade
A
0
12
0
8
20
20
classrooms
B
0
11
0
9
20
20

C
0
15
0
5
20
20

D
0
5
0
15
20
20

E
0
9
0
11
20
20

F
0
6
0
14
20
20










0
58
0
62

340
















Candidate Totals
14
172
8
146