Which of the following statements about the Electoral College is true?
A It was replaced as the method for electing the US President In 1975 with the ratification of a Constitutional Amendment.
B Electors in the Electoral College necessarily vote in favor of the candidate that won the popular vote in their state.
C The candidate who wins the national popular vote automatically becomes President even if they do not win a majority of the electoral college votes.
D Each state receives a number of electors equal to its total number of Senators and Representatives in US Congress, and a candidate who win a majority of electoral college votes becomes President.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is D: Each state receives a number of electors equal to its total number of Senators and Representatives in US Congress, and a candidate who wins a majority of electoral college votes becomes President.
Explanation:
The Electoral College is the system by which the United States elects its president. This system was established by the U.S. Constitution and has been in use since the first presidential election in 1789. The number of electors for each state is determined by its representation in Congress. Each state has electors equal to the sum of its Senators and Representatives in the House of Representatives. For example, California has 55 electoral votes because it has 2 Senators and 53 Representatives.
A candidate needs to win a majority of the electoral votes (at least 270 out of 538) to become President. This system means that the winner of the popular vote in each state generally receives all of that state’s electoral votes, with the exception of Maine and Nebraska, which use a proportional system.
Option A is incorrect because the Electoral College has not been replaced; it remains the system used for electing the president. Option B is not entirely true because while most electors vote in line with their state’s popular vote, there are some instances where electors have voted contrary to the popular vote, known as “faithless electors.” While these instances are rare, they do occur. Option C is incorrect because winning the national popular vote does not guarantee a presidency. A candidate can win the popular vote but lose the electoral vote, as seen in the 2000 and 2016 elections.
In summary, the Electoral College is an essential aspect of U.S. presidential elections, and the system outlined in option D is the correct description of how it functions.