Electoral College 101: don't understand the Electoral College? Well, you're not alone. Here's a guide to what it is, how it works, and why it matters.

What exactly is the Electoral College?

It's not a university, though it sounds like one. It's a group of 538 people (electors) who, according to the Constitution, are responsible for selecting the President and Vice President.

How did this system come about?

When the Constitution was being drafted in 1787, the Framers did not want the President and Vice President to be chosen either by Congress or by the people directly. To establish a role for the states in national elections (as part of our federalist system of government) and to protect the country from what they saw as an ill-informed populace, they devised a system that later came to be known as the Electoral College. They envisioned it as an elite group of distinguished men (there wasn't a female elector until 1912), selected by each state, who could be trusted with choosing the nation's leaders. The system has changed little in 200 years, except that now each state's political parties nominate slates of electors, who are pledged to support their party's candidates.

How many electoral votes does each state get?

The same number as its delegation in Congress: however many seats it has in the House (which is based on population), plus the Senate (always 2). New Jersey, for example, has 13 Representatives, 2 Senators, and 15 electoral votes.

Who is qualified to be an elector?

There are no age restrictions or residency requirements in the Constitution. It's basically up to party officials in each state.

If these 538 electors choose the President, what's Election Day about?

Technically, on Election Day, you're not voting for a presidential candidate (even if his or her name appears on the ballot). You're actually voting for a slate of electors who have pledged to support one of the candidates.

So how does a candidate win?

Each state's electoral votes are awarded on a winner-take-all basis (except in Maine and Nebraska, and Colorado will vote in November on changing its system). In other words, the candidate with the most popular votes in a state (whether the margin of victory is 3 votes or 3 million) gets all of that state's electoral votes. To win, a candidate needs a majority--270--of the 538 electoral votes.

Do electors actually cast their electoral votes?

It's usually a formality, but electors representing the candidate who won the popular vote in each state on Election Day meet in their state capitals in December to cast their votes for President and Vice President. The national election results become official when all the state ballots are counted before a joint session of Congress on January 6. The winners are sworn in on January 20.

What if no candidate gets a majority?

The House selects the President, with each state getting one vote, and the Senate selects the Vice President.

Can one candidate win the popular vote and another win the electoral vote?

Yes, and the electoral vote determines who will be President. It's happened four times, most recently in 2000, when Al Gore won the popular vote, but George W. Bush won the electoral vote. The other three times: 1824, 1876, and 1888.

It sounds like a complicated system.

The trick is to think about the election the way the candidates do: not as a single national election, but as 51 separate elections. They have to figure out how to win enough of those 50 state elections (plus Washington, D.C.) to rack up 270 electoral votes. (See Debate, p. 22, on whether the Electoral College should be abolished.)

How is this playing out in 2004?

Bush and Kerry aren't spending much time (or TV ad dollars) in states where they're way behind or way ahead. Instead, they're focusing on "battleground" or "swing" states, where the popular vote seems close. According to New York Times analysts, 13 states--in yellow above--were still in play in late September. (For the most current version of this map, go to the Campaign 2004 section of nytimes.com.) So if you live in Texas or Massachusetts, you're probably not seeing many presidential campaign ads on TV. But if you're in Wisconsin or Florida, it may seem as if Kerry and Bush have taken over your TV set.

QUIZ 2

Electoral College FAQs

1. The Electoral College

a was set up to guard against voter fraud.

b was formed as an alternative to Congress or the people electing the President directly.

c was modeled after Britain's parliamentary system.

d is scheduled to be replaced by direct elections.

2. Electors in each state are

a chosen from distinguished citizens in their state.

b usually former elected officials in their state.

c pledged to vote for their party's candidate.

d allowed to vote only in the Electoral College, not in the general election.

3. The main difference between the earliest days of the Electoral College and its operation today is that

a electors now vote along party lines.

b the minimum age for electors is now 21.

c small states are now entitled to more votes.

d the date for counting electoral votes is earlier.

4. Each state's number of Electoral College votes is determined by

a the Federal Election Commission.

b its voter turnout in the last presidential election.

c Congress.

d the size of its congressional delegation.

5. If the Electoral College vote ends in a tie, the President is chosen by

a the Supreme Court.

b the U.S. Senate.

c the U.S. House of Representatives.

d a vote of state legislatures.

6. Some critics want to abolish the Electoral College and replace it with a system in which the candidate with the most popular votes wins. What's your opinion?

Answer Key

1. Answers may vary, but should include the idea that individuals view the ads differently.

2. (c) 3. (d) 4. (b) 5. (c)

6. Possible Agree: Negative ads distort the truth; voters need accurate information. Possible Disagree: Free speech means just that; all voices must be heard.

Electoral College 101 was compiled by Elizabeth Mayer.