Final answer:
To determine votes, the Electoral College allocates electors to each state based on their congressional delegation, with most states following a winner-take-all system. In Congress, the Senate operates with state-wide representation while the House considers local district interests. Special commissions have resolved electoral disputes in rare cases.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the United States, the system for determining votes for each house of Congress varies depending on the circumstance. Initially, in presidential elections, Electoral College votes were allocated where electors cast two ballots, with the majority winner becoming president and the second-placer becoming vice president. In case no candidate received a majority, the House of Representatives selected the president, with each state casting a single vote, and the Senate chose the vice president. In terms of the Electoral College, each state is allocated several electors equal to their total congressional delegation - the sum of their representatives and senators. For most states, this allocation follows a winner-take-all approach, except for Nebraska and Maine which distribute their electors proportionally. In particularly contentious elections, such as the 1876 election, Congress has at times formed a special commission to resolve disputes over electoral votes.
Congress itself is divided into two chambers: the Senate gives equal representation to states, while the House of Representatives reflects state population numbers. Senators, elected state-wide, tend to vote on bills with the nation's interest in mind, whereas Representatives, elected from smaller districts, often vote with the local interests of their constituents in mind. Such design was intentional by the founders to balance both local and national interests within the legislative process.