The U.S. Constitution requires that the President be elected by whom?

The U.S. Constitution establishes the process for electing the President through the Electoral College. This system was created in Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution, where it outlines the selection of electors who will officially cast their votes for President and Vice President. Each state appoints electors equal to its total number of Senators and Representatives in Congress, and these electors are typically pledged to vote for the candidate who wins the popular vote in their respective state.

This process reflects a compromise between direct popular election and election by Congress, aiming to balance the influence of populous states with less populous ones. Hence, the use of the Electoral College as the mechanism for electing the President is central to the functioning of the U.S. electoral system and illustrates the Founders’ intent to create a representative republic rather than a direct democracy.