Which term refers to the group named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president?

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

Answer: (A)

The group named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president is the Electoral College. This refers to the body of electors created by the Constitution, with each state having a number of electors equal to its total representation in Congress (two senators plus its representatives). Voters in a state pick which slate of electors will cast votes for president and vice president; in most states the slate that wins the popular vote gets all of that state’s electoral votes. The electors then meet and cast their votes, and whoever wins a majority of the 538 electoral votes (270) becomes president, with Maine and Nebraska using a district-based approach for some electors. The other terms don’t describe this body: Moderates is a label for a political stance, Primary Election is how parties choose nominees, and General Election refers to the overall election where voters choose among candidates, not the electors themselves.