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Here’s what the constitution says about what we call the electoral college: each state shall appoint, in such manner as the legislature thereof may direct, a number of electors, equal to the whole number of senators and representatives to which the state may be entitled in the congress: but no senator or representative, or person holding an office of trust or profit under the united states, shall be appointed an elector. the electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for two persons, of whom one at least shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves. and they shall make a list of all the persons voted for, and of the number of votes for each; which list they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the united states, directed to the president of the senate. the president of the senate shall, in the presence of the senate and house of representatives, open all the certificates, and the votes shall then be counted. the person having the greatest number of votes shall be the president, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed; and if there be more than one who have such majority, and have an equal number of votes, then the house of representatives shall immediately chuse by ballot one of them for president; and if no person have a majority, then from the five highest on the list the said house shall in like manner chuse the president. but in chusing the president, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice. in every case, after the choice of the president, the person having the greatest number of votes of the electors shall be the vice president. but if there should remain two or more who have equal votes, the senate shall chuse from them by ballot the vice president. the congress may determine the time o

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Final answer:

The Electoral College is a system used to indirectly elect the President and Vice President of the United States, where electors from each state vote for candidates, and the candidate with the majority of electoral votes becomes President. If no candidate has a majority, Congress selects the President and Vice President.

Step-by-step explanation:

Understanding the Electoral College Process

The Electoral College is a unique method for indirectly electing the president of the United States. It involves electors from each state, and they meet in their respective states to vote by ballot for President and Vice President. The total number of electors equals the number of senators and representatives each state has in Congress. Electors cannot be a sitting senator, a representative, or a person holding an office of trust or profit under the United States.

During the election, the electors vote by ballot for two persons, with at least one candidate not being an inhabitant of the same state as the elector. The electors create a certified list of all voted persons and the number of votes for each, which they send to the President of the Senate. In a joint session of Congress, the President of the Senate opens all certificates and the votes are counted. The candidate with the majority of electors' votes becomes the President, and if there is no majority, the House of Representatives chooses the President from the top candidates.

The process for selecting a Vice President is similar, but if there is no majority, the Senate votes to choose the Vice President from among the top candidates. Additionally, a significant majority of states is required to form a quorum for the purpose of electing a President or Vice President during the contingency elections held in Congress.

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