Think to yourself, do you know who the Electoral College is made up of? Do you know how to become an elector? Do you know how to find out? Personally, up until a few months ago, I had no idea how to become an elector and only found out after accidentally becoming one. Now, when I reflect on the Electoral College of the past, I want to know if it was more straightforward in the past or present.

There is no federally mandated system for selecting presidential electors, so the choice is left to the states. As seen here a pamphlet listing candidates for Elector in 1800 was circulated by the Republican Party of Virginia which made the choices very clear to voters. In 1800, only two states, Virginia and New Hampshire, selected electors through general election. All other states had other systems for selecting electors, generally through appointment by state legislators. It is important to note that in 1800, electors were effectively unbound and could (and did) vote for whatever candidate they wanted, regardless of the popular vote in their state.

Only after the Electoral College failed massively was it restructured with the 12th amendment which factored in political parties and allowed electors two separate votes, one for President and one for VP. After it failed in 1800 and again in 1824, voters began to become frustrated by the lack of direct representation and the Electoral College evolved more.

By 1824, eighteen out of twenty-four states selected electors through general election, and by 1828 only two states selected electors through different methods. Today, most states elect multiple slates of electors through various processes. For example, The Iowa Democratic Party selected electors in two stages. First, district-level electors are voted on by delegates at district conventions, then two additional electors are chosen “at large” by delegates at the state convention. The Iowa Republican Party on the other hand does not have a clear selection plan outlined per their bylaws, it appears that the Republican Party of Iowa selects electors through nomination by a small nomination committee.

Undeniably, the process for selecting electors still varies from one state to another, but given that the selection process for electors has become less accessible for the average citizen, is that acceptable? Electors now serve a more ceremonial role in deciding the election as most states do not split up their electoral votes, so it is possible to argue that there is little significance. At the same time, our modern electoral college is so dissimilar to the original process set up by the founding fathers, that it has evolved into a completely different process.