What is the Electoral College?

The Electoral College, administered by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), is not a place. It is a process that began as part of the original design of the U.S. Constitution. The Electoral College was established by the founding fathers as a compromise between election of the president by Congress and election by popular vote. The people of the United States vote for the electors who then vote for the President. Read more about how the terms "Elector" and "Electoral College" came into usage.

• How many votes do States get?
  
  
• Who selects the Electors?
  
  
• What are the qualifications to be an elector?
  
  
• Access each State's certificate documenting who the electors are and how they voted.

The Office of the Federal Register coordinates the functions of the Electoral College on behalf of the Archivist of the United States, the States, the Congress, and the American People. The Office of the Federal Register operates as an intermediary between the governors and secretaries of state of the various States and the Congress. It also acts as a trusted agent of the Congress in the sense that it is responsible for reviewing the legal sufficiency of the certificates before the House and Senate accept them as evidence of official State action.

• State executives and the electors are responsible for completing election duties outlined by the Constitution of the United States and Federal law. View the responsibilities of the States and the electors in the Presidential Election.
  
  
• View the roles of the States, Congress, and the National Archives and Records Administration.
  
  
• Read the history of the Electoral College and the National Archives and Records Administration
  
  

Visit these other sites for more information about the U.S Presidency and the electoral process.

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