Are U.S. Presidents officially elected
by the popular vote?
http://search.msn.com/results.aspx?q=electoral+college&FORM=MSNH
Let us know what you decide.
=)
No, The President is officially elected by the electoral college.
Right. :-)
The process of electing a U.S. President involves both the popular vote and the Electoral College.
In a presidential election, citizens cast their votes for their preferred candidate through a process known as the popular vote. Each state holds its own election, and the candidate who receives the majority of the votes in a particular state usually receives all of that state's electoral votes.
However, the U.S. President is not directly elected solely on the basis of the popular vote. The Electoral College is a body of electors, established by the U.S. Constitution, who formally elect the President and Vice President. Each state is allocated a certain number of electors based on its representation in Congress (the number of senators and representatives it has).
After the popular vote, the electors from each state meet to formally cast their electoral votes. In most states, the candidate who wins the majority of the popular votes in that state receives all of the state's electoral votes. The candidate who receives the majority of the electoral votes (at least 270 out of 538) becomes the President.
To summarize, while the popular vote in each state influences the allocation of electoral votes, it is ultimately the Electoral College that officially elects the U.S. President.