What is the purpose of the Electoral College?

The purpose of the Electoral College is to formally elect the President and Vice President of the United States. Established in Article II of the U.S. Constitution, the Electoral College serves as a mechanism through which states participate in the selection of the nation's leaders. When citizens cast their votes for President, they are actually voting for a slate of electors pledged to that candidate. These electors then meet to cast the official votes that determine who will assume the presidency and vice presidency.

This system was designed to balance the influence of populous states with less populous ones and to provide a layer of deliberation in the election process. The founding framers of the Constitution aimed to create a compromise between direct popular voting and congressional selection, believing that electors would use their judgment to choose the best candidates. It emphasizes the federal nature of the United States, where states play a vital role in national governance.

The other options do not accurately reflect the role of the Electoral College. Direct democracy is not a characteristic of the Electoral College, nor does it oversee congressional elections or organize national referendums. Instead, those functions fall under different systems and structures established within U.S. governance.