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What group of 538 members decides who became the President of the US?
electoral college
What happens if the number of electoral votes are not reached?
The required number is more than half of the total. If no candidate gets this required majority, the House of Representatives chooses the president from among the top three candidates using a special procedure in which each state gets one vote.
What powers does the constitution give to the legislative branch?
The legislative branch has the power to -Initiate revenue bills -Impeach federal officials -The House of Representatives decides the President in the case the electoral college ties -The Senate decides the Vice President in the case the electoral college ties -Enact laws that are "necessary and proper" -Declare war
Do the US people directly elect the President?
No, the people of the US do not directly elect the president. There is a group known as the Electoral College which actually elects the President and Vice President, after being selected as proxies in the popular election. It has occurred that Presidents were elected by the electoral college vote who did not receive a majority of the popular vote nationwide. Each political party in a state chooses a slate of electors. There are as many for a given state as a state has both US senators and US representatives in Congress. In 48 states, all of a state's electoral votes go to the single party that receives the most votes (President and Vice President). In Maine and Nebraska, some may go to the other candidates based on the vote. The electors from across the country meet in December and officially cast their votes for their candidates, and these votes are delivered to Congress to be tallied on the following January 6. If a Presidential candidate receives 270 of the 538 total electoral votes, he is declared elected, along with his Vice President, and sworn into office on January 20. If no candidate has enough votes, the House will elect the President and the Senate will elect the Vice President.
If electoral votes are tied how is the tie broken?
In this case, the House elects the president and the Senate elects the vice-president using a special method of election in which each state gets one vote. This would also be the case with more than two candidates if no candidate gets the necessary majority (as of 2014, you need 270 of 538 electors).
