Definition of electoral vote

The term "electoral vote" originated from the twelfth amendment to the United States Constitution, which was ratified in 1804. This amendment established a separate ballot for electing both the President and Vice President, and introduced the concept of electors as intermediaries between the voters and the two executive offices. Each state is assigned a number of electors, typically equal to its total number of U.S. Representatives and Senators in Congress, in order to allocate its electoral votes. The electors are chosen through a process determined by each state, known as the electoral college system. During the presidential election, citizens vote for their preferred candidate within their respective states. The candidates' respective parties then select a group of individuals, known as electors, to cast a formal vote for the candidate in their state's Electoral College. On the inauguration day, the designated electors from each state formally cast their electoral vote, in accordance with the popular vote taken place within their state. Therefore, the term "electoral vote" refers to the formal vote cast by each elector in the Electoral College, which collectively decides the outcome of the presidential election.