THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE
WHY IT IS NECESSARY
The Electoral College was created by the founding fathers to ensure that presidential candidates had to pay attention to every body, not just those who lived in big cities or big states. Without the electoral college, politicians and political parties would ignore most of the states in the union and pander to those people who lived in the biggest cities in the United States.
WHO AM I VOTING FOR?
Contrary to popular misunderstanding, we do not vote for a president and vice president every four years. Instead, we cast our votes for "electors" in the Electoral College. Once chosen by the people, the "electors" elect the president.
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HOW ARE POTENTIAL ELECTORS CHOSEN?
Each state has it’s own process for determining who it’s electors will be, but here is what has to happen in each state:
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1. Before the general election, political parties choose potential Electors.
This part of the process is controlled by the political parties and the method varies by state. The purpose is to be sure that each Presidential candidate has his or her own list of potential Electors in place before election day.
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2. On Election Day, Electors are chosen by the people based on how they cast their vote for President. In some states the Electors’ names may appear on the ballot below the Presidential candidate’s name. When the votes are counted, those “potential Electors” assigned to the Presidential candidate who garnered the most votes become the states electors. It is a winner takes all arrangement—except in Nebraska and Maine. These two states have a system that allows for a potential split of electoral votes between Electors of more than one candidate (for more information visit https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/electors.html )
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WHAT ARE THE
QUALIFICATIONS FOR ELECTORS?
There are not a lot of provisions in the Constitution concerning who can be an Elector. However, there are some limitations. For example, Article II, section 1, clause 2 precludes a Senator, Representative or any person who holds an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, from serving as an Elector. In addition, Amendment 14 disqualifies any state official who has engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or who has given aid and comfort to its enemies.
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ARE ELECTORS OBLIGATED TO
VOTE A CERTAIN WAY?
The Constitution does not dictate how Electors are to vote. However, some states (by law) require Electors to vote according to their states popular vote. In other states Electors are bound by pledges to their political party. Some states have laws that would disqualify and/or fine any so-called "faithless Elector" who casts a vote contrary to state or party rules.
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WHO ARE THE PEOPLE
WHO SERVE AS ELECTORS?
Each party chooses their own list of potential electors. Usually parties select individuals who have a long history of service and dedication to the party, and/or a friendship or political affiliation with their party's Presidential candidate.
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HOW MANY ELECTORS
ARE IN THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE?
There are 538 Electors in the Electoral College.
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HOW MANY ELECTORS FROM EACH STATE?
Each state is allowed one elector for each senator (i.e. 2 per state) plus one Elector for each Representative (based on the states population).
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HAS THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE
EVER ELECTED A PRESIDENT WHO
DID NOT WIN THE POPULAR VOTE?
Yes. Five times so far--John Quincy Adams (1824), Rutherford B. Hayes (1876), Benjamin Harrison (1888), and George W. Bush (2000), Donald J. Trump (2016).