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Article: Electoral College 101: don't understand the Electoral College? Well, you're not alone. Here's a guide to what it is, how it works, and why it matters.(National)
- Article from:
- New York Times Upfront
- Article date:
- October 11, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Scholastic, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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What exactly is the Electoral College?
It's not a university, though it sounds like one. It's a group of 538 people (electors) who, according to the Constitution, are responsible for selecting the President and Vice President.
How did this system come about?
When the Constitution was being drafted in 1787, the Framers did not want the President and Vice President to be chosen either by Congress or by the people directly. To establish a role for the states in national elections (as part of our federalist system of government) and to protect the country from what they saw as an ill-informed populace, they devised a system that later came to be ...