Table of Contents
Who controls US presidential elections?
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the federal agency responsible for coordinating activities of States and Congress regarding the Electoral College vote for President.
Are there federal election laws?
According to the U.S. Constitution, voting is a right. Many constitutional amendments have been ratified since the first election. However, none of them made voting mandatory for U.S. citizens.
Who receives the Electoral College votes?
In nearly every state, the candidate who gets the most votes wins the “electoral votes” for that state, and gets that number of voters (or “electors”) in the “Electoral College.” Second, the “electors” from each of the 50 states gather in December and they vote for president.
Which powers do both state governments and the federal government have?
Notably, both the states and the federal government have the power to tax, make and enforce laws, charter banks, and borrow money.
How are primaries and caucuses used to choose candidates for President?
Before the general election, most candidates for president go through a series of state primaries and caucuses. Though primaries and caucuses are run differently, they both serve the same purpose. They let the states choose the major political parties’ nominees for the general election.
How are the electors chosen in each state?
People in every state across the country vote for one president and one vice president. When people cast their vote, they are actually voting for a group of people known as electors. In the Electoral College system, each state gets a certain number of electors based on its total number of representatives in Congress.
What is the role of Congress in Article I, Section 4?
By its terms, Article I, Section 4, Clause 1, also contemplates the times, places, and manner of holding elections being prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof, subject to alteration by Congress (except as to the place of choosing Senators).
What was the role of the legislature in the Constitution?
Id. at 24 (noting that dictionaries, even those in circulation during the founding era, capaciously define the word ‘legislature’ to include as [t]he power that makes laws and the Authority of making laws ).