Who Elects the President?

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Reading Comprehension
Volume 6, Number 9, November 6, 2000
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Who Elects the President?

November 7, 2000 is a very special day in the United States. Voters all across the nation are __1__ representatives in local and national races. Some people think that they’re voting for the president of our country too. They’re not! Again, they're voting for __2__. These representatives are called electors. They are part of a system called the Electoral College.
In most states the electors are chosen on a winner take all basis. That makes it possible for one candidate to win the most electors while getting less popular votes nationally than his __3__.
The electors will meet in their respective states and cast their votes for president and vice-president on December 18, 2000. The Constitution does not __4__ the electors to vote for the candidates that they are pledged to, but they almost always do. On January 6, 2001, just two weeks before the new president and vice-president take office, the votes will be counted in Congress.
If no one gets a majority (more than half) of the electoral votes, at least 270 out of 538, the __5__ will be chosen by Congress. The House of Representatives will choose (one vote per state) the president and the Senate will choose the vice-president. It’s not likely, but we could actually end up with a president from one party and a vice- president from another.
In an extremely close election, all kinds of strange outcomes are __6__. Will the __7__ that most voters prefer be the next __8__? And when will we even know?