Electoral College

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (right) speaks outside the U.S. Capitol in March with other members of the U.S. House of Representatives, the size of which has stayed at 435 voting members for decades.

Stuck At 435 Representatives? Why The U.S. House Hasn't Grown With Census Counts

5:00am April 20, 2021

by Hansi Lo Wang

A 1929 law set up a process for redistributing representation after each census that has pitted states against one another in a once-a-decade fight for power in Congress and the Electoral College.

Queue Listen Now

Illustration of states morphing into the U.S. Capitol and White House.

COMIC: How Your State Wins Or Loses Political Power Through The Census

5:00am April 12, 2021

How much say your state has in Congress and the Electoral College is determined through a little-known, once-a-decade process based on the census.

Italian papers show the chaotic scenes from Washington, with one headline declaring "The End." Others proclaim, "Gunshots on Democracy" and "USA – Day of the Coup." World leaders are reacting with shock and dismay to the assault on the Capitol.

World News

'Disgraceful': World Leaders React To Pro-Trump Extremists Storming U.S. Capitol

10:09am January 07, 2021

by Reese Oxner

Historians in Italy compare Wednesday's events to the rise of fascism. "Violence is incompatible with the exercise of democratic rights and freedoms," Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said.

National Guard troops stand behind shields outside the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday evening.

After Chaos, Insurrection And Death, Pro-Trump Rioters Defy D.C. Curfew

10:10pm January 06, 2021

by Vanessa Romo

The extremists are calmly milling about the Capitol grounds, despite the D.C. curfew in effect. The relatively peaceful dispersal is in stark contrast to the response to last summer's BLM protests.

Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as they try to storm the Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday. Demonstrators breached security and entered the Capitol as Congress debated the 2020 electoral vote certification.

Trump Supporters Storm U.S. Capitol, Clash With Police

5:00pm January 06, 2021

by Marisa Peñaloza

After the president addressed the crowd gathered to protest President-elect Joe Biden's win, Trump supporters pushed past barriers onto the Capitol grounds.

Politics & Government

Pence Faces His Most Challenging Trump Loyalty Test Yet

5:00am January 06, 2021

by Tamara Keith

The vice president will preside as the Electoral College vote count is tallied. The ceremonial role puts him crosswise with President Trump, who refuses to acknowledge his loss.

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas is among those promising to challenge the Jan. 6 vote to certify the Electoral College results.

Politics & Government

Pence Backs Republican Lawmakers' Plan To Object To Electoral College Results

10:04pm January 02, 2021

by Jason Slotkin

Eleven senators and senators-elect said they would reject electors "from disputed states" without an investigation into the votes in those states. They did not provide evidence for their concerns.

Flowchart depicting a relay race between three cats.

COMIC: How Your State Gets Power Via The Census (And What Trump Wants To Change)

1:59pm December 31, 2020

A little-known process determines your state's representation in Congress and the Electoral College. Trump wants to try to change it by excluding unauthorized immigrants for the first time in history.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told U.S. President-elect Joe Biden, "For my part, I am ready for interaction and contacts with you," according to the Kremlin.

Putin And Bolsonaro Congratulate Biden On His Victory Over Trump

4:28pm December 15, 2020

by Bill Chappell

The Russian leader contacted U.S. President-elect Joe Biden after the Electoral College affirmed his victory. Putin was one of the last major world leaders to do so.

President-elect Joe Biden speaks after the Electoral College formally elected him as president Monday.

Politics & Government

As Democracy Holds, Trump Finds Himself Increasingly Isolated

12:11pm December 15, 2020

by Domenico Montanaro

The Electoral College reaffirmed that Joe Biden is president-elect, but the current president continues not to accept it, threatening to undermine President-elect Joe Biden's legitimacy.