How are Electoral College votes apportioned?

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.

Who appoints Electoral College delegates?

Generally, the parties either nominate slates of potential electors at their State party conventions or they chose them by a vote of the party’s central committee. This happens in each State for each party by whatever rules the State party and (sometimes) the national party have for the process.

How do you become elector?

To become a presidential elector candidate, a person must be nominated as a political party’s elector candidate in accordance with party rules or named as an elector candidate by an independent or write-in candidate for president.

Which branch of government is elected by popular vote?

The President enforces the laws that the Legislative Branch (Congress) makes. The President is elected by United States citizens, 18 years of age and older, who vote in the presidential elections in their states. These votes are tallied by states and form the Electoral College system.

How many electors are there in the Electoral College?

When people cast their vote, they are actually voting for a group of people called electors. The number of electors each state gets is equal to its total number of Senators and Representatives in Congress. A total of 538 electors form the Electoral College. Each elector casts one vote following the general election.

How are the electoral votes allocated in each state?

The federal district, Washington, D.C., allocates its 3 electoral votes to the winner of its single district election. States generally require electors to pledge to vote for that state’s winning ticket; to avoid faithless electors, most states have adopted various laws to enforce the electors’ pledge.

What are the qualifications to be an elector?

The Electoral College website now has an easy-to-remember address. Make sure to update your bookmarks! What are the qualifications to be an elector? The U.S. Constitution contains very few provisions relating to the qualifications of electors.

When is the winner of the Electoral College announced?

In most cases, a projected winner is announced on election night in November after you vote. But the actual Electoral College vote takes place in mid-December when the electors meet in their states. See the Electoral College timeline of events for the 2020 election.