US Electoral System

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What is an elector?

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A person who casts a vote in the Electoral College. Each state legislature decides how its electors are chosen.

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What is the Electoral College?

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A group of people called electors who vote for president and vice president of the United States once every four years. Electors cast their votes on the first Tuesday after the second Wednesday in December.

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What is an electoral vote?

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The vote taken by the electors. The Electoral College consists of 538 electors from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. A majority, or 270, of electoral votes is required to elect a president.

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What is an electoral majority?

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At least one more than half of the total. A person must win a majority of the Electoral College votes (270 of 538) to become president.

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What is the popular vote?

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The votes of all the citizens together. The popular vote for president is held every four years on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. States provide voters with other ways to vote if they cannot or choose not to vote in person on that date.

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What happens if no candidate receives an electoral majority?

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If no candidate receives a majority of the electoral votes, the election for president is decided in the House of Representatives, with each state delegation having one vote.

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How are the number of electors per state determined?

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The number of electors for each state is equal to the sum of its Senators and Representatives in Congress. The total number of electors is 538.

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What is a faithless elector?

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A faithless elector is a member of the Electoral College who does not vote for the candidate they pledged to vote for. Some states have laws to penalize faithless electors.