Electors are individuals chosen to formally elect the President and Vice President of the United States. They are part of the Electoral College, which consists of 538 electors. Each state has a number of electors based on its population and congressional representation, with a majority of 270 votes needed to win the presidency. When citizens cast their votes in a presidential election, they are actually voting for a slate of electors pledged to their chosen candidate. These electors then meet in their respective state capitals to cast their official votes, which are later counted by the U.S. Congress.