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What determines when the Electoral College votes?
Under the “Electoral College” system, each state is assigned a certain number of “votes”. The formula for determining the number of votes for each state is simple: each state gets two votes for its two US Senators, and then one more additional vote for each member it has in the House of Representatives.
What happens if the electoral college doesn’t choose the president?
Presidential election If no candidate for president receives an absolute majority of the electoral votes, pursuant to the 12th Amendment, the House of Representatives is required to go into session immediately to choose a president from among the three candidates who received the most electoral votes.
How is the number of electors each state receives in the Electoral College decided?
Electoral votes are allocated among the States based on the Census. Every State is allocated a number of votes equal to the number of senators and representatives in its U.S. Congressional delegation—two votes for its senators in the U.S. Senate plus a number of votes equal to the number of its Congressional districts.
Why is the Electoral College so important?
The Electoral College is important because it ensures the President of the United States is selected by the constitutional majority. Basically, the Electoral College magnifies the margin of victory and grants legitimacy to the winners.
Where do electors meet?
Electors will meet in their states, typically at the capitol, where they will cast two votes: one for president and one for vice president. They will then prepare what is called a “certificate of vote” with the results, which is then mailed or delivered via courier to the National Archives,…
What is the point of the Electoral College?
“The point of the Electoral College is to make demands on people who are competing for the presidency to take the country as a whole seriously. It forces the candidates to run as the president of the United States, not as president of certain areas and ignore other areas.”.
How many electoral votes does the United States have?
The Electoral College consists of 538 electors. A majority of 270 electoral votes is required to elect the President. Your state’s entitled allotment of electors equals the number of members in its Congressional delegation: one for each member in the House of Representatives plus two for your Senators.