During a joint session of Congress, each state’s Electoral College votes are counted and verified.

Discussion Questions

1. What is the Electoral College? According to the U.S. Constitution, when do state electors meet to cast their votes? Click here to watch a C-SPAN Classroom video clip on Pennsylvania’s Electors casting their votes for President and Vice President of the United States.
2. Explain how the U.S. Congress verifies each state’s Electoral College votes. Who presides over the proceeding? Why?
3. How many Electoral College votes does a candidate need to win a presidential election in the United States? What were the final results of the Electoral College votes in the 2008 Presidential Election?
4. Click here to view a clip for an explanation and history of the Electoral College.