Electoral college facts for kids
An electoral college is a special group of people chosen to pick a leader for an important job. Instead of every citizen voting directly for a leader, they vote for representatives called electors. This type of voting is called an indirect election.
These groups are often created as a constitutional body to choose a head of government or a country's president. In some places, they also help pick members for an upper house of parliament.
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How Electoral Colleges Work Around the World
Many countries have used this system to balance power between big cities and smaller rural areas.
United States Presidential Voting
The United States Electoral College is famous for choosing the American president. When people in the United States cast their ballots, they actually pick electors from their state. Early American leaders like Alexander Hamilton, writing in Federalist No. 68, believed this system supported American federalism. Supporters argue it prevents a tyranny of the majority, making sure candidates visit small farming states instead of just large cities.
Choosing Leaders in Asia
- The president of Pakistan is chosen by the Electoral College of Pakistan. This group includes members of the Parliament of Pakistan and local Provincial assemblies of Pakistan.
- In India, the president of India is picked by the Indian Electoral College. It brings together the Parliament of India, regional state assemblies, and leaders from every Union territory. The vice president of India is selected by a separate vote.
European Systems
- In Germany, a group called the Bundesversammlung meets only to choose the federal president. It includes all lawmakers from the Bundestag and delegates sent by state parliaments.
- The president of Italy is chosen by both chambers of the Italian Parliament meeting in joint session, along with special electors from the twenty regions of Italy.
- In France, citizens elect their leader directly, but the Senate uses indirect voting by local electors called grands électeurs.
- The leader of the Catholic Church, the Pope, is selected in the Vatican City State through a papal conclave of cardinals.
Historic Uses of Electoral Colleges
Long ago, the Holy Roman Empire used an electoral system to name its ruler. During the 1800s and 1900s, many Latin American nations also used electors. Argentina used electors under its 1853 Constitution until updating its rules in the 1994 constitutional amendment. In Brazil, a direct election with a two-round system replaced its older system after creating the modern 1988 constitution. Over time, many nations moved away from electoral groups during periods of democratization to let citizens vote directly.
See also
In Spanish: Colegio electoral para niños
