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.