Question

Read the passage and answer the following question(s).

The Electoral College

The Founding Fathers established [the Electoral College] in the Constitution, in part, as a compromise between the election of the President by a vote in Congress and election of the President by a popular vote of qualified citizens. . . . The Electoral College consists of 538 electors. A majority of 270 electoral votes is required to elect the President. Your State has the same number of electors as it does Members in its Congressional delegation: one for each Member in the House of Representatives plus two Senators.



Public Domain.

What is a common criticism of the Electoral College system in the United States?

A.
It gives the incumbent candidate an unfair advantage.

B.
It gives some states more influence than others.

C.
It reduces campaign spending in large states.

D.
It allows each state to select its own delegates.

Answer 1

B. It gives some states more influence than others.

Explanation: Because each state gets electors equal to its House members plus two senators, smaller states are relatively overrepresented and campaigns focus on certain states (swing states), leading to unequal influence.