U.S. Citizenship Civics TestSystem of GovernmentHard
A civics test applicant is asked about the total number of electors in the Electoral College. Given that there are 100 Senators and 435 Representatives, what is the total number of electors?
- A540
- B538
- C435
- D535
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. 538
The number of electors in the Electoral College is equal to the total number of members in Congress (100 Senators + 435 Representatives = 535) plus 3 electors for the District of Columbia. So, 535 + 3 = 538.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. 540 is an incorrect calculation for the total number of electors.
- C. 435 is only the number of U.S. Representatives.
- D. 535 is the total number of members in Congress, but excludes DC electors.
Electoral College Size
The total number of electors in the Electoral College, which determines the outcome of U.S. presidential elections.
- Sum of all U.S. Senators (100)
- Sum of all U.S. Representatives (435)
- Plus 3 electors for the District of Columbia
Memory trick: Senators, Reps, and DC - that's the 'Electoral' recipe.