What is the process of electing the President of the United States referred to as?

The process of electing the President of the United States is referred to as the Electoral College. This system was established by the U.S. Constitution and involves a group of representatives, known as electors, who are chosen by voters in each state during the presidential election.

When citizens cast their votes for president, they are actually voting for a slate of electors pledged to support their chosen candidate. The key element of the Electoral College is that each state has a certain number of electors based on its population and congressional representation, and these electors formally cast their votes for president. A candidate needs a majority of electoral votes to win the presidency.

Understanding the Electoral College is crucial because it illustrates the unique nature of the American electoral system, where winning the popular vote in a state typically means that the majority of that state's electors will cast their votes for that candidate, regardless of the overall national popular vote.

This distinguishes it from other processes such as primaries, where candidates compete within their own party to secure nomination, or the national election, which generally refers to the overall event of the general election. The voting process is a broader term that encompasses both primaries and the general election, but the specific term for how the president is elected is the Electoral