Your Guide to the Electoral College.

• Author: Smith, Patricia
• Position: NATIONAL

The voting isn't over on Election Day. Here's how the U.S. actually chooses its president.

What is the Electoral College?

It may sound like a school, but it's not. It's a group of 538 people from all 50 states and Washington, D.C., called electors. According to the Constitution, they are officially responsible for electing the president and vice president.

How did this system come about?

As the Framers drafted the Constitution in 1787, they clashed over how the president should be chosen. Some thought that citizens should vote directly for the president. Others argued that average citizens weren't educated enough to decide. They thought that Congress should pick the president. In the end, the two sides came up with a compromise, creating a system that came to be known as the Electoral College.

What is Election Day really all about?

On November 3, voters will cast their ballots in the popular vote. They will see the candidates' names on the ballot, but technically they'll be voting for a slate of electors who have pledged to support a particular candidate.

How many electors does each state get?

Each state has a number of electors equal to its total number of senators and members of the House of Representatives. For example, Texas has 2 senators and 36 representatives, so it has 38 electors. Each state has two senators, but because the number of representatives is based on population, states with more people have more electors. (Although Washington, D.C...