For State Officials

The Honorable Madison Jefferson Monroe
Governor of Anystate
State Capitol, US 00000-0001

Dear Governor Monroe:

I am writing to inform you of your responsibilities in the upcoming Electoral College process and to offer the assistance of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). This year the Presidential election and selection of electors will occur on November 4, 2008 and the State meetings of the Electoral College will be held on December 15, 2008.

The Governor of each State performs certain duties to carry out the functions of the Electoral College. Each State is responsible for documenting the selection of electors and the electors' votes for President and Vice President, and for ensuring that properly executed certificates reach the appropriate Federal and State officials.

NARA administers the electoral process by receiving Certificates of Ascertainment of electors and Certificates of Vote from the States and the District of Columbia, reviewing them for legal sufficiency, making them available to the Congress for the official accounting of electors and votes, and providing the public with access to electoral documents and information about the Electoral College.

To assist you in carrying out your Electoral College duties, I am enclosing a set of procedural instructions and pamphlets containing the provisions of the U.S. Constitution and the United States Code that relate to the election of the President and Vice President. Please make these materials available to the officials who will administer the electoral process in your State.

I would greatly appreciate your assistance in ensuring the smooth operation of the Electoral College process this year. It is essential that the electoral certificates be prepared accurately and submitted as promptly as possible within the time periods allotted by law. If you have any questions regarding Electoral College procedures, please have your office or the appropriate State election officials contact the Legal Affairs Staff of NARA's Office of the Federal Register at (202) 741-6030.

Sincerely,

ALLEN WEINSTEIN
Archivist of the United States

Enclosures