20080403 The United States Electoral College

The United States Electoral College

http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/

April 4, 2008

For folks who have asked how many Electoral College votes are allocated for each of the states…

For other questions about the Electoral College go here: The United States Electoral College

How did the terms "Elector" and "Electoral College" come into usage?

The term "electoral college" does not appear in the Constitution. Article II of the Constitution and the 12th Amendment refer to "electors," but not to the "electoral college." In the Federalist Papers (No. 68), Alexander Hamilton refers to the process of selecting the Executive, and refers to "the people of each State (who) shall choose a number of persons as electors," but he does not use the term "electoral college."

The founders appropriated the concept of electors from the Holy Roman Empire (962 - 1806). An elector was one of a number of princes of the various German states within the Holy Roman Empire who had a right to participate in the election of the German king (who generally was crowned as emperor). The term "college" (from the Latin collegium), refers to a body of persons that act as a unit, as in the college of cardinals who advise the Pope and vote in papal elections. In the early 1800's, the term "electoral college" came into general usage as the unofficial designation for the group of citizens selected to cast votes for President and Vice President. It was first written into Federal law in 1845, and today the term appears in 3 U.S.C. section 4, in the section heading and in the text as "college of electors."

Frequently Asked Questions

View this Week's Questions of the Week

How did the terms "Elector" and "Electoral College" come into usage?

How does the Electoral College elect the president?

How does the Electoral College process work in my State?

Can citizens in U.S. Territories vote for President?

Is my vote for President and Vice President meaningful in the Electoral College system?

Why do we still have the Electoral College?

What Federal laws govern the Electoral College system?

What proposals have been made to change the Electoral College system?

Were any measures introduced in Congress to change the Electoral College process by amending the Constitution?

What happens if no presidential candidate gets 270 electoral votes?

What impact does a candidate's concession speech have on the Electoral College process?

How do the 538 electoral votes get divided among the States?

There are 538 members of the Electoral College. How could that number change without amending the Constitution?

What is the difference between the Winner-Takes-All Rule and Proportional Voting, and which States follow which rule?

How is it possible for the electoral vote to produce a different result than the nation-wide popular vote?

What would happen if two candidates tied in a State's popular vote, or if there was a dispute as to the winner?

What is the difference between Colorado's proposal to proportionally allocate electoral votes and the current way that Nebraska and Maine proportionally allocate electoral votes?

Who selects the electors?

What are the qualifications to be an elector?

Must electors vote for the candidate who won their State's popular vote?

Where do I find the names of the 2004 Presidential electors?

May I attend the meeting of my State's electors to watch them vote?

How can I check the county by county results of the Presidential election in Ohio?

Is there an online source listing the names and voting records of presidential electors for all previous presidential elections back to 1789?

How many times has the Vice President been chosen by the U.S. Senate?

References

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