Electoral College

The president and vice president are selected through the electoral college system, which gives each state the same number of electoral votes as it has members of Congress. The Electoral College is composed of delegates from each state (plus the District of Columbia). (The number of delegates from each state is equal to the sum of that state's U.S. Senators plus U.S. Representatives.) According to the U.S. Constitution, the electors (chosen by popular vote) assemble in their respective state capitals on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December and vote for president. Electors are supposed to vote for the candidate who received a plurality of votes in the state or area they represent. To become president, a candidate must get more than half of the Electoral College votes (270 out of 538 votes).