The Constitutional Convention of 1787 considered several methods of electing the President, including selection by Congress, by the governors of the states, by the state legislatures, by a special group of Members of Congress chosen by lot and by direct popular election. The original purpose of the Electoral College was to reconcile differing state and federal interests, provide a degree of popular participation in the election, give the less populous states some additional leverage in the process by providing “senatorial” electors, preserve the presidency as independent of Congress and generally insulate the election process from political manipulation. READ MORE: What Happens If There's a Tie in a US Presidential Election? The Electoral College in the U.S. To be elected President of the United States, a candidate needs a majority of 270 electoral votes. The Constitution assigns each state a number of electors equal to the combined total of the state’s Senate and House of Representatives delegations at present, the number of electors per state ranges from three (District of Columbia) to 55 (California), for a total of 538. It is these electors, chosen by the people, who elect the chief executive. When Americans vote for President and Vice President of the United States, they are actually voting for presidential electors, known collectively as the Electoral College.

Joint Tickets: One Vote for President and Vice President.How the Electoral College Works in Each State.The Electors: Ratifying the Voter’s Choice.

Allocation of Electors and Electoral Votes.

What is the electoral college