The Electoral College

  1. Why does the U.S. have the Electoral College system?
  1. Who are the electors? How are they chosen in your state?
  1. What do the electors actually do? Can they vote any way they wish?
  1. A. How many electoral votes are there? There are 538 electoral votes

B. How are they divided among the states? . There is 1 electoral vote for each senator, and 1 for each member of the House of Representatives, and 3 for the District of Columbia (the equivalent of the minimum number per state).

C. How many does your state have? Virginia has 13 electoral votes.

D. How does your state determine how many electoral votes each candidate will get?Virginia is a ‘winner take all’ state. The only two states that ‘share’ their votes to match the popular vote are: Maine and Nebraska.

  1. A. How many electoral votes are needed to win? 270
  1. What if no candidate receives a majority? A vote would be taken in the House of Representatives to decide the election.
  2. has this ever happened?Yes, three times. In 1800, 1824 and 1847. In 1800, the Presidential election was undecided between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr. 1824, John Quincy Adams was voted in by the House of Representatives, and Andrew Jackson, won the popular vote.
  1. How often have the results of the Electoral College differed from the popular vote?Four times, the results of the Electoral College differed from the popular vote, in 2000 (Gore/Bush), 1888 (Harrison/Cleveland), 1876 (Hayes/Tilden) and 1824 (JQAdams/Jackson)
  2. What are the PROS of the Electoral College system? The PROs of the Electoral College system include protection of the two party system, it protects minority interests and directs more power to the states. Who favors it?
  3. What are the CONS of the Electoral College system? Who does not favor or might like to change it?The CONS of the Electoral College system include the person voted for President and Vice-President by a majority of Americans may not win the election, the system is complicated therefore fewer people vote, and states with a smaller population and swing states get more power.

Various sample articles stating PROS and CONS of the Electoral College system: