Category: American Government
The Electoral College is important because it decides who is elected president. Americans don't directly elect the President — instead, they vote for electors who then cast votes for the President.
Each state gets a number of electors equal to its total members of Congress (senators + representatives). A candidate needs 270 out of 538 electoral votes to win the presidency.
The Electoral College was designed as a compromise between electing the President by popular vote and having Congress choose the President. It gives smaller states slightly more influence than their population alone would provide.
Say: 'It decides who is elected president.'
Test yourself with our free quiz simulator and interactive flashcards — the same official questions, timed like the real interview.