Which term describes the body of people who cast electoral votes for president and vice president?

• A. General Election
• B. Platform
• C. Electoral College
• D. Primary Election

Answer: (C)

The Electoral College is the body responsible for casting the official votes for president and vice president. In practice, voters pick electors when they cast their ballot in the general election, and each state has a number of electors equal to its total representation in Congress (the sum of its senators and representatives). There are 538 electors in total, and a majority of 270 is needed to win. Most states award all their electoral votes to the candidate who wins the statewide popular vote, though Maine and Nebraska use a district-based approach. The general election refers to the popular vote by citizens, not the body that casts the votes. A platform is the party’s set of policy positions, and a primary election is a preliminary contest to choose a party’s candidate. So the body described is the Electoral College.