The 2008 Election Day LIVE Thread

[RU OX Alum]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Article II, sections 2:

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.

Note the "in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct." That means each state decides how to appoint electors. Most states have a winner-take-all system, where the electors from that state vote for whoever won the popular vote in that state.

As for Maine and Nebraska (not Alaska), they apportion their votes, I believe, by Congressional district. One elector comes from each Congressional district and votes for whoever won the popular vote their Congressional district. The remaining two electors vote for whoever won the popular vote statewide.

As for the other question, the first paragraph of the Twelfth Amendment:

The Electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and all persons voted for as Vice-President and of the number of votes for each, which lists 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.

Originally Posted by nittanyalum

^^^Yeah, I wonder how many people know that the process (the technical, actual process) of the electoral college isn't anywhere near being complete yet? The general election is just the start, here's the rest of the schedule:

November 4, 2008 - General Election: The voters in each State choose electors to serve in the Electoral College. As soon as election results are final, the States prepare seven or nine original "Certificates of Ascertainment" of the electors chosen, and send one original along with two certified copies (or three originals, if nine were prepared) to the Archivist of the United States.

December 15, 2008 - Meeting of Electors: The electors in each State meet to select the President and Vice President of the United States. The electors record their votes on six "Certificates of Vote," which are paired with the six remaining original "Certificates of Ascertainment." The electors sign, seal and certify the packages of electoral votes and immediately send them to the President of the Senate, the Archivist of the United States and other designated Federal and State officials.

December 24, 2008 - Deadline for Receipt of Electoral Votes: The President of the Senate, the Archivist of the United States, and other designated Federal and State officials must have the electoral votes in hand.

January 6, 2009 - Counting Electoral Votes in Congress: The Congress meets in joint session to count the electoral votes (unless Congress passes a law to change the date).

http://www.archives.gov/federal-regi...q.html#process

Thank you both!

okay, so it was Nebraska..interesting...