Lesson 18 of 84 · Government
⭐ 30 XP🏛️ Civic SquareThe Electoral College
The Electoral College is a unique system established by the United States Constitution for electing the President and Vice President.
🎯 Your mission
Decide what YOU would do in their shoes.
⚡ The twist
Not voting is also a vote.
Mind = Blown
🤯 In ancient Athens, 'democracy' only included about 10% of the people.
Then & Now
🏛️ The rule you'll meet today is still on the books — sort of.
The Electoral College is a unique system established by the United States Constitution for electing the President and Vice President. Instead of a direct popular vote, citizens cast their ballots for electors pledged to vote for specific candidates. Each state has a number of electors equal to its total number of Senators and Representatives in Congress, totaling 538 electors nationwide. This system was designed to balance the influence of populous states with less populous ones, yet it has generated considerable debate regarding its fairness and effectiveness in representing the popular will.
Key Facts
The Electoral College consists of 538 electors.
Each state's electoral votes are based on its congressional representation.
A candidate needs a majority of 270 electoral votes to win the presidency.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 2What is the total number of electors in the Electoral College?
Why this still matters
Your school has rules. Where do they come from? Who decides them?
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Make up a fair rule for your family. Pitch it.
For the dinner table
“What's one rule at our house you'd change if you could vote on it?”
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