Question

In the United States of America, the President is elected

• A. By the electorate
• B. By the electoral college
• C. By the two national political parties
• D. By the U.S. congress

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

In the United States, the President is elected through a process involving the electoral college. The electoral college system is unique and is a key part of the process in choosing the President. Here's a step-by-step explanation of how it works:

1. General Election: Every four years, on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November, the American public votes in a general election. However, they are technically voting for a slate of electors pledged to vote for the candidate they support.
2. Electors: Each state has a number of electors equal to its total number of Senators and Representatives in Congress. Currently, there are 538 electors in total.
3. Allocation of Electors: Most states use a winner-takes-all system, meaning the candidate who receives the majority of the popular vote in that state gets all of the state's electoral votes. Nebraska and Maine use a proportional allocation method.
4. Meeting of the Electoral College: Once the electors are chosen, they meet in their respective state capitals in December to formally cast their votes for President and Vice President.
5. Counting of Votes: The electoral votes are then sent to the President of the Senate, where they are counted in a joint session of Congress in January. A candidate needs a majority of electoral votes (270 out of 538) to win the presidency.

By utilizing this intermediary body between the population and the selection of the President, the system aims to balance the influence of highly populated states with less populated ones. Thus, the correct answer is: By the electoral college.