Hi there! I'm hiding a new challenge cache (GC9A8G6) that requires cachers to find enough caches in enough US states to win them a trifecta in the federal government. Each cache in a state is a vote, and the rules for each branch are as follows:
The Senate:
Every state has 2 US Senators. If you find one cache in a state, then you will win one of its Senate seats. If you find 2 caches in a state, you will win both of its Senate seats. You win the Senate when Your Party has won at least 50 seats.
The House:
There are 435 seats in the House of Representatives. Those seats are allocated to the 50 states according to their populations- as determined by the Census- in order to minimize the differences in population between House districts. For each cache you find in a state you will win one of their House Seats, up to as many as that state has. For example, if you find 30 caches in California and 30 caches in Nevada, you will win 30 House seats from California and 4 House seats from Nevada. You win the House if you win at least 218 House seats.
Following the 2020 Census, the states have been allocated the following number of seats:
Alabama 7
Alaska 1
Arizona 9
Arkansas 4
California 52
Colorado 8
Connecticut 5
Delaware 1
Florida 28
Georgia 14
Hawaii 2
Idaho 2
Illinois 17
Indiana 9
Iowa 4
Kansas 4
Kentucky 6
Louisiana 6
Maine 2
Maryland 8
Massachusetts 9
Michigan 13
Minnesota 8
Mississippi 4
Missouri 8
Montana 2
Nebraska 3
Nevada 4
New Hampshire 2
New Jersey 12
New Mexico 3
New York 26
North Carolina 14
North Dakota 1
Ohio 15
Oklahoma 5
Oregon 6
Pennsylvania 17
Rhode Island 2
South Carolina 7
South Dakota 1
Tennessee 9
Texas 38
Utah 4
Vermont 1
Virginia 11
Washington 10
West Virginia 2
Wisconsin 8
Wyoming 1
The Presidency:
In order to be elected President of The United States, you need to win the majority of votes in the Electoral College. But the Electoral College is interesting, because it is a winner-take-all system in each state. Whichever candidate wins the plurality of votes in a state wins every single Electoral College vote that state has. In order to win a state, you need to find as many caches as is equal to half the number of Electoral College votes that state has. For example, if you find 10 caches in California and 10 caches in North Carolina, you will win 0 Electoral College votes from California and 16 from North Carolina. Each state has as many Electoral College votes as they do members of Congress (i.e. the number of House seats it has + 2). The District of Columbia, despite not having representation in Congress, does have 3 Electoral College votes. You win the Presidency if you win at least 270 Electoral College votes. For simplicity's sake, we will ignore the unique way Maine and Nebraska award their Electoral College votes.
Following the 2020 Census, the states have been allocated the following number of Electoral College votes:
Alabama 9
Alaska 3
Arizona 11
Arkansas 6
California 54
Colorado 10
Connecticut 7
Delaware 3
Florida 30
Georgia 16
Hawaii 4
Idaho 4
Illinois 19
Indiana 11
Iowa 6
Kansas 6
Kentucky 8
Louisiana 8
Maine 4
Maryland 10
Massachusetts 11
Michigan 15
Minnesota 10
Mississippi 6
Missouri 10
Montana 4
Nebraska 5
Nevada 6
New Hampshire 4
New Jersey 14
New Mexico 5
New York 28
North Carolina 16
North Dakota 3
Ohio 17
Oklahoma 7
Oregon 8
Pennsylvania 19
Rhode Island 4
South Carolina 9
South Dakota 3
Tennessee 11
Texas 40
Utah 6
Vermont 3
Virginia 13
Washington 12
West Virginia 4
Wisconsin 10
Wyoming 3
DC 3
If you manage to find enough caches in the right states to win 50 Senate seats, 218 House seats, and 270 Electoral College votes then Your Party will have a trifecta in the federal government and can pass a bill!
But wait..... there's another way! Congress can override Presidential vetoes with 2/3 support from both houses of Congress. So even if the Other Party wins the Presidency (i.e. you win fewer than 270 Electoral College votes), you can still pass a bill if you win 67 Senate seats and 290 House seats. It is extremely unlikely that someone will qualify for the challenge this way, but it is possible!
Please keep in mind that DC has Electoral College votes, but that it does not have seats in the House or Senate.
For the output, I would love it if it can say the following:
"Congratulations! Your Party CAN pass a bill!
You won X Electoral College votes, Y Senate seats, and Z House Seats!"
Or
"Sorry! Your Party CANNOT pass a bill!
You won (only) X Electoral College votes, (only) Y Senate seats, and (only) Z House Seats!"
[Add the word "only" for the chambers where they did not enough votes]
Or
"Congratulations! Your Party CAN pass a bill!
While you won only X Electoral College votes, giving the Other Party the White House, you can override the President's vetoes because you won Y Senate Seats and Z House Seats!"
Thank you so much for your time! I know this challenge is more complex than most so I would really appreciate anyone who takes the time to write the checker! Please let me know if you have any questions about the challenge rules!
Thank you again,
Bobby (garretslarrity)