How Does the Electoral College Work?

Each state selects a number of electors which is equal to the total number of senators and representatives serving the state in Congress. Typically the electors campaign for their positions and win the favor of their state parties. Their nomination is highly dependent upon their loyalty to their state and party as leaders, activists, or state officials.

The voters choose their electors on the day of the general election. Winning electors, in turn, attend a State Meeting of Electors to cast their votes for President and Vice President. This meeting is held on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December. In some states the electors are bound by law to cast their votes according to the popular vote of their state. The electoral votes are recorded onto certificates which must be submitted to Congress by December 24th.

Purpose of the Electoral College

The founding fathers established the Electoral College in the Constitution as a way to equally represent each state according to size and to avoid a presidency that was established solely on a popular vote.

The intention of purpose an electoral [of the Electoral College] has is to employ a strategy of fairness and equality for each and every state. The purpose of the electoral is to select a President and Vice President based on merit, not on favoritism, personal ethics, opinions, or attitudes.

Qualifications to be Part of the Electoral College

Although requirements for candidacy are few, there are three guidelines within the U. S. Constitution. These guidelines state that candidates for the function of electoral:

Can not have a negative record of rebellion against the U.S.
Can not be in a high-ranking position of trust or profit
Can not hold a position as a Senator or Representative

If these requirements were met, the electoral decision would be made at a state level meeting.

Origin of the Electoral College

This name was established by our founding fathers in the early 1800s as an element of the U.S. Constitution and as a concept of compromise between the people of the state and Congress. During that time, it was not directly referred to the Electoral College. Instead, you’d hear the term “Electors” or “College of Electors” when referring to the electoral vote.

The original electoral notion began between 962 A.D and 1806 A.D., during the era of the Holy Roman Empire. During this time, an elector was a prince who had the right to participate in the German king or emperor elections.

The idea was adopted down through the centuries and the very first Federal law that included the College of Electors was written in 1845. In the U.S. Constitution, Article II and the 12th Amendment refers to the “Electoral” but not to the “Electoral College.”

Role of NARA

The NARA is the National Archives and Records Administration. They provide the management, organization and coordination of the Electoral College:

Their primary role is to coordinate the electoral process by effectively handling each progressive stage individually.
The NARA drafts documents and prepares and submits them to both the Electoral College and to Congress.
They ensure that all electoral documents are preserved into the historical system and have reached Congress and the general public.
The NARA also works closely with the legal staff of the Federal Register who reviews electoral certificates, signatures, seals, and other vital details pertaining to electoral positions.

All these tasks are part of the Federal electoral law. Additionally, the “Archivist” roles includes delegating operational duties to the Director of the Federal Register and setting aside an archival set of electoral votes in the event of an error.

Why the Electoral College Still Exists

Initially, the Electoral College was part of a progressive experiment that looked for ways to level the balance for the popular vote and smaller states. As presidential terms passed, Congress fine tuned their efforts and the true meaning of the Electoral College started to emerge as new ideas and concepts begin to evolve.