Electoral college

An electoral college is a set of electors representing different organizations or entities, who are empowered to elect someone to a particular post. Each organization or entity may be represented by a particular number of number of electors, or the organization or entity's votes may be weighted in a particular way.

The best known electoral college is the U.S. Electoral College, which elects the United States President. The electors are chosen by the states. The method of selecting electors is now by popular vote.

Similar systems are used or have been used in other presidential elections around the world - for example the President of Finland was elected by an electoral college between 1919 and 1987. The Holy Roman Emperor was also elected by an electoral college in the late Middle Ages. It consisted of German princes.

Another type of electoral college is used by the British Labour Party to choose its leader. The college consists of three equally weighted sections: the votes of Labour MPss and MEPs; the votes of affiliated trade unions and socialist societies; and the votes of individual members of Constituency Labour Parties.