What is the purpose of the Electoral College and how does it function?

The United States Electoral College is the group of presidential electors required by the Constitution to form every four years for the sole purpose of electing the president and vice president.

How is the size of the electoral college determined?

Electoral votes are allocated among the States based on the Census. Every State is allocated a number of votes equal to the number of senators and representatives in its U.S. Congressional delegation—two votes for its senators in the U.S. Senate plus a number of votes equal to the number of its Congressional districts.

What is the Electoral College and why is it bad?

The Electoral College was engineered to empower the white south in times of slavery. Today, it is still seen as a flawed system; contrary to the ‘one person, one vote’ principle of democracy. How does the Electoral College work?

Do levels of formal education shape political views on Electoral College?

A similar divide emerges across levels of formal education. Those with postgraduate degrees are somewhat more supportive of changing the system than those with less formal education. Partisan divides in views of the electoral college are most pronounced among those who pay the most attention to politics.

How many electoral college votes do you need to win?

A presidential candidate must get at least 270 Electoral College votes to win the office. In recent years, state lawmakers have debated the continued use of the Electoral College. Should it be left intact or abolished?

What was unusual about the Electoral College in the 1800s?

The system had some unusual results from the start, as evident in the election of 1800, a tie in which Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr received an equal number of electoral votes. Congress broke the tie, and Jefferson became president and Burr became vice president.