The Electoral College

Mission Brief #18

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Decide what YOU would do in their shoes.

⚡ The twist

Not voting is also a vote.

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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.

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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

Remember these

1The Electoral College consists of 538 electors.
2Each state's electoral votes are based on its congressional representation.
3A candidate needs a majority of 270 electoral votes to win the presidency.

Then & Now

🏛️ The rule you'll meet today is still on the books — sort of.

Question 1 of 2

What is the total number of electors in the Electoral College?

How sure?😐 maybe

Question 2 of 2

What majority is required for a candidate to win the presidency in the Electoral College?

How sure?😐 maybe

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The Electoral College

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