US Government: Understanding the Electoral College

What is the Electoral College?

• A group of political leaders

• A type of voting system

• A process to elect the US president

• A school for politics

How do citizens of the U.S. participate in electing the president?

• By voting for electors from their state

• By voting in Congress

• By voting directly for the president

• By voting in the Senate

How many electors does each state get?

• One for each member of Congress from that state

• Two for each senator only

• A fixed number for all states

• Based on the state's land area

Who usually chooses the electors in each state?

• The state legislature

• The citizens through a separate vote

• The political party of the winning presidential candidate

• The governor of the state

Who is prevented from being an elector?

• Members of the military

• Political leaders like Senators and Representatives

• Anyone who can vote

• State governors

Do electors have to vote a certain way?

• Yes, they must always vote for the candidate they pledged to

• No, they can vote however they want

• It depends on the state laws

• They must vote according to the national popular vote

What happens in most states regarding electoral votes?

• Electoral votes are split among candidates

• Electoral votes are decided by Congress

• Electoral votes are divided by the state legislature

• All electoral votes go to one candidate

Which states split their electors between candidates?

• California and Texas

• Florida and Ohio

• Maine and Nebraska

• New York and Illinois

What is one argument for keeping the Electoral College?

• It guarantees the popular vote winner becomes president

• It simplifies the election process

• It protects state's rights

• It ensures the president is chosen by Congress

What is one argument against the Electoral College?

• It prevents swing states from having influence

• It always reflects the popular vote

• It makes every vote count equally

• It can result in a president who did not win the popular vote