Electoral Impact
The site HowStuffWorks.com provides a basic overview of how the Electoral College operates that includes considerable pertinent historical information. It also states the following details:
• Each state has a number of electors equal to the number of its U.S. senators (2 in each state) plus the number of its U.S. representatives, which varies according to the state’s population.
• Currently, the Electoral College includes 538 electors, 535 for the total number of congressional members, and three who represent Washington, D.C.
• On the Monday following the second Wednesday in December, the electors of each state meet in their respective state capitals to officially cast their votes for president and vice president.
• These votes are then sealed and sent to the president of the Senate, who on Jan. 6 opens and reads the votes in the presence of both houses of Congress.
• The winner is sworn into office at noon Jan. 20.
• Most of the time, electors cast their votes for the candidate who has received the most votes in that particular state.
• However, there have been times when electors have voted contrary to the people’s decision, which is entirely legal.
• Today, a candidate must receive 270 of the 538 votes to win the election.
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