Pursuant to federal law, Pennsylvania State Electors meet in the House Chamber at the State Capitol in Harrisburg, PA to cast their votes for President and Vice President of the United States.

Discussion Questions

1. Who are Electors, and what is their purpose? Where in the U.S. Constitution are Electors mentioned? Summarize what you find. According to the Constitution, when are electors supposed to meet?
2. Pennsylvania Secretary of State Pedro Cortes (D) mentions the Federalist Papers. Who wrote these articles? When and why were they written?
3. Are each state’s Electors required to vote for the candidate who received the majority of the popular vote in a presidential election? According to Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution, how do the electors select the president? How do they select the vice president? Has this changed since the adoption of the Constitution? Explain.
4. Note the procedure that takes place in Pennsylvania. How many electoral votes did PA cast in the 2008 presidential election? How many electoral votes did your state cast? What determines how many electoral votes a state receives? Explain what happens after all Electors cast their vote.