Article II of the U.S. Constitution establishes the process for selecting the President and Vice President. According to the Constitution, members of the electoral college cast their votes for president based on the popular votes in each state. The number of electoral votes for each state are determined by the state’s congressional representation. This method of determining votes in the presidential election precluded residents of Washington, D.C., from having a voice, since the District of Columbia is not a state. In 1961, the 23rd amendment granted D.C. residents three votes in the electoral college system.
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Topic
LOC Resource
LOC Title
Constitution Annotated- 23rd Amendment
LOC Short Description
This website presents the U.S. Constitution broken down by articles and amendments, including a section on the 23rd Amendment.
LOC Title
Elections… the American Way
LOC Short Description
A presentation on U.S. elections, with sections on voting rights and the electoral college system.
LOC Title
A Guide to Washington, D.C., Materials
LOC Short Description
A guide to digital and print resources related to the history of Washington, D.C.
LOC Title
US Election Statistics: A Resource Guide
LOC Short Description
A list of online and print resources related to U.S. federal and state elections, compiled by a digital reference specialist at the Library of Congress.