TedED Understanding the Electoral College

What is the primary role of the Electoral College?

• To organize presidential debates

• To create election laws

• To formally elect the President and Vice President

• To count the popular votes

How many electors are there in total in the Electoral College?

• 538

• 270

• 435

• 100

How often is the census conducted to determine the number of electors for each state?

• Every 10 years

• Every 6 years

• Every 4 years

• Every 12 years

What happens if a candidate wins the popular vote in a state?

• They receive all of the state's electoral votes

• They receive half of the state's electoral votes

• They receive a proportional number of the state's electoral votes

• They receive none of the state's electoral votes

Why do presidential candidates focus on states like Texas, Florida, and New York?

• Because they are the smallest states

• Because they are the easiest to win

• Because they have a large number of electoral votes

• Because they have the most voters

What can happen in rare cases like in 2000 regarding the popular vote and electoral vote? The video was made before 2016, but this also happened then.

• A candidate can win the popular vote but lose the electoral vote

• A candidate can win the electoral vote but lose the popular vote

• A candidate can win both the popular vote and the electoral vote

• A candidate can lose both the popular vote and the electoral vote

What is one criticism of the Electoral College system?

• It is too simple

• It gives an unfair advantage to small states

• It is too transparent

• It gives an unfair advantage to states with large numbers of electoral votes

What is a 'safe state'?

• A state with no electoral votes

• A state that never votes

• A state that always votes for the same party

• A state that changes its vote every election

What is the 'magic number' of electoral votes needed to win the presidency?

• 538

• 270

• 435

• 100