How does the Electoral College affect presidential elections?

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How does the Electoral College affect presidential elections?

When citizens cast their ballots for president in the popular vote, they elect a slate of electors. Electors then cast the votes that decide who becomes president of the United States. Usually, electoral votes align with the popular vote in an election.

What is the current role of the Electoral College?

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. The electors meet and vote in December and the inauguration of the president and vice president takes place in January.

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How is electoral votes decided?

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.

Do you have the final say over the choice of electors?

REMINDER TO THE REPUBLICAN STATE LEGISLATURES, YOU HAVE THE FINAL SAY OVER THE CHOOSING OF ELECTORS, NOT ANY BOARD OF ELECTIONS, SECRETARY OF STATE, GOVERNOR, OR EVEN COURT. YOU HAVE THE FINAL SAY — ARTICLE II OF THE FED CONSTITUTION. SO, GET READY TO DO YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY

Can states change the way they pick their electors?

Although the wording of Article II of the Constitution (quoted above) allows that any state’s legislature could opt for a different method of picking electors in the future, it does not empower any legislature to ignore both their state’s elections results and their existing laws and, willy-nilly, designate whomever they want as electors.

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What are the rules for counting electoral votes?

The rules for counting electoral votes give “conclusive” effect to the votes cast by the electors chosen on Election Day, “and require that those votes be counted to the exclusion of any others,” Noti wrote. RELATED: Faithless electors: Could they impact 2020 election results?

Is it legal for a state to send two sets of votes?

Further reasons why experts say the scenario isn’t legal is that the Electoral College rules (3 U.S. Code § 5) address a situation in which a state sends two sets of votes.