Definition and purpose of electoral colleges

Summary

An electoral college is a body of representatives empowered to formally select a candidate for a specific office, most often the head of state (and sometimes other high offices). It exists in several countries and can be used to balance regional representation or to implement indirect election mechanisms. Electors are typically chosen either by the people for the purpose of making the final selection (making the overall process an indirect election) or by subregional entities or social organizations. The term is generally reserved for constitutional or political appointing bodies that perform this selection role; it does not usually include bodies that appoint officials for other purposes (such as ordinary parliamentary systems) or non-electoral committees (for example, bodies that appoint judges).

Key Points

• 1

  Electoral colleges are representative bodies that formally select candidates for specific offices, commonly the head of state.

• 2

  Electors may be chosen by the people (creating an indirect election) or by subregional entities/social organizations.

• 3

  The term is typically limited to constitutional/political mechanisms for selecting top officials, not general parliamentary appointment systems or other committee-based selections.