Presidential Selection - The Electoral College

Hamilton's Plan

"The President and Vice President were to be chosen by a special body of presidential electors. These electors would cast two electoral votes, each for a different candidate." Candidate with the most votes = President 2nd place = Vice President

Presidential Electors

A person elected by the voters to represent them in making a formal selection of the Vice President and President. State electors - chosen by states. Cannot be representatives already in Congress. There are 538 electors.

23rd Amendment

D.C. 3 representatives. The District of Colombia is allocated 3 electors and treated like a state for purposes of the Electoral College. (Congress population = 535 + 3 (DC) = 538)

Popular Vote

Direct vote of the people who are of voting age.

12th Amendment

Election of President and Vice President. "Changed Hamilton's Plan."

Number of Votes Needed to Win

Half plus one. 270 votes. 538/2 = 269 + 1 = 270

Role of the House of Representatives within the Electoral College

If the Electoral College cannot decide a clear winner of who is president; then the House of Representatives vote to determine who the President is.

Number of electoral Votes allowerd

Number of electors = same number as senators and representatives (combine) per state.

Electoral College

The Electoral college votes for the President. The Electoral college is a process, not a place. The Electoral college is the group of people (electors) chosen from each state and the district of Columbia to formally select the President and Vice President.

Electoral Votes

Votes cast by electors in the Electoral College. There are 538 votes.