Your source for government information on Elections and Voting
The United States Constitution, sent to the states for ratification in 1787, establishes procedures for seating the national legislative and executive branches of the United States Government. Article 1, Section 2 provides for the direct election of Representatives to the House. Article 1 Section 3 originally provided that U.S. Senators be selected by individual state legislatures. Amendment 17 Section 2 (ratified 1913) superseded Article 1 Section 3 and provides for the election of Senators by the people.
Article 2 Section 1 dictated the selection of the President of the United States by chosen electors from each of the states:
The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice-President chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows:
Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.
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