What is an Electoral College?

Question

I'm studying politics for this up coming election, and I was wondering what is an Electoral College, and how does it work?

Answer 1

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."

Answer 2

The Electoral College in use in the USA is an antiquated relic of early national elections.

Due to communication challenges (pre internet, telephone, computer, etc.) It would have taken weeks to count all votes and get the information to a central place for determining national elections. So the EC was created.

Each state was assigned a number of "electors" based on population. This number was/is adjusted after every full census. When an election is/was held, each state's electors cast their vote. In theory they can vote for whom ever they wish.

But since one of the two primary USA political parties control who is chosen as an elector, it is rare that a state's electors differ from the popular vote.

This is why you rarely hear Dems or Reps complaining about the system because they know they have a better chance of controlling a state in this system rather than a popular vote system.

In old time the electors were able to cast their votes before all of the popular vote in their state was counted. The only reason the EC exists today is because of the control either the Republicans or Democrats wield in the various states.

To allow a popular vote would give third party and fringe parties power.

Answer 3

The United States Electoral College is the constitutional body that elects the President and Vice President. It was established by Article Two, Section One of the United States Constitution, which provides for a quadrennial election of Presidential Electors in each state. The electoral process was modified in 1804 with the ratification of the 12th Amendment and again in 1961 with the ratification of the 23rd Amendment.
For more info go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Electoral_College

The Electoral College is administered at the national level by the National Archives and Records Administration via its Office of the Federal Register. The Electoral College never meets as a single body, and the meetings of electors in each state are administered by state officials.

Answer 4

The electoral college is the body that directly elects the President and Vice-President. Electors from the 50 states and D.C. formally votes for the Prez and V.P. based on the results of the state's popular vote. The "winner takes all" system gives all of the state's Electoral Votes to the candidate receiving the majority of votes. The number of electors in a given state is the number of Congressional members from that state in the U.S. Senate. The total number of electoral votes in the Electoral College is therefore 538 (100 senators, 3 reps from D.C., and 435 H.O.R. members). To win the presidency, a candidate must receive a majority (270 votes).

Hope that helped

Answer 5

Article I of the Constitution.

The President and VP are chose by "Electors" who are in turn chosen by the population of the various states. The people pick the electors, who are bound by law to vote a certain way.

The original idea was go balance out (slightly) the fact that large are more populated states would have a larger impact -- so rather than votes bing purely by population, there are also two "extra" votes per state so that smaller states have a slightly larger impact than numbers along would give them.

Currently, 48 states use an "all or nothing" allocation, so all electors for a state vote for a single candidate -- whoever has the highest popular vote in that state -- and the result is the same whether 51% or 99% voted that way.

Answer 6

A body of electors, chosen by ther voters in the states and DC, which formally elect the Pres. and V.P.

Answer 7

It means your vote doesn't really count. The electorates in your state can vote anyway they want. They can vote against what the majority of the state voted for.

Answer 8

something designed to make sure majority does not rule and decisions are made by good old boys with cigars in a smoke filled room.