Methods of Choosing Presidential Electors

The U.S. Constitution grants the States the right to choose Presidential Electors in Article II Section I with the clause Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors ...

Over the years, states have employed a number of different methods for choosing Presidential Electors. The methods are grouped into two main categories: Popular Vote and Appointed. Some of these are listed below:

Popular Vote Methods


Winner-Take-All Method

A slate of Electors is pledged to each Presidential/Vice-Presidential ticket (the Electors' names may or may not appear on the ballot). The slate of Electors pledged to the ticket having received the plurality of votes state-wide are chosen.


Individual (Direct) Method

Individual Electors are pledged to each Presidential/Vice-Presidential ticket (only the Electors' names appear on the ballot). The top 'n' electors (where n is equal to the number of Electoral Votes for a given state), having received the most votes state-wide, are chosen.


District Method

Two Electors At Large and one Electors for each Congressional District are pledged to each Presidential/Vice-Presidential ticket (the Electors' names may or may not appear on the ballot). The At-Large Electors pledged to the ticket having received the plurality of votes state-wide are chosen. The Elector pledged to the ticket having received the plurality of votes within each Congressional District is chosen.


Appointed Methods