# who are the electors and what do they get? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 5, 2008, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-electors-and-what-do-they-get/471236 "2008-11-05T07:09:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mrpayday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@mrpayday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrpayday)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-electors-and-what-do-they-get/471236/1 "2008-11-05T07:09:48Z")
So the electoral college has members who are chosen for their loyalty and ability the write the correct name on their ballot. Who are they exactly are they and do they get anything, say an allowance and free dinner, a commemorative t-shirt or anything like that? Is it a stepping stone to whatever job party sycophants aspire to? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-electors-and-what-do-they-get/471236/2 "2008-11-05T13:33:59Z")
> [@mrpayday](#): > > Is it a stepping stone to whatever job party sycophants aspire to? I don’t know, but I doubt it. In practice, nobody ever gives a crap who the electors are. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-electors-and-what-do-they-get/471236/3 "2008-11-05T14:15:37Z")
[Here](http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/faq.html#selection) is some information about them. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-electors-and-what-do-they-get/471236/4 "2008-11-05T15:01:58Z")
In Illinois, they don’t get paid a salary, but they do get their expenses reimbursed: > [@](#): > > Each elector shall receive an allowance for food and lodging equal to the amount per day permitted to be deducted for such expenses under the Internal Revenue Code, plus a mileage allowance at the rate in effect under regulations promulgated pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 5707(b)(2) for the number of highway miles necessarily and conveniently traveled, for going to the seat of government to give his or her vote and returning to his or her residence and otherwise performing the official duties of an elector, to be paid on the warrant of the State Comptroller, out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, and any person appointed by the electors assembled to fill a vacancy shall also receive the allowances provided for electors appointed. No commemorative T-shirts from the state, but if they vote the proper way and ask nicely, they could maybe get a T-shirt from the state party. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-electors-and-what-do-they-get/471236/5 "2008-11-05T15:57:53Z")
An all-expense paid trip to the state capital and lunch. I’ve always thought the electoral college was a plot by state capitals to get someone to come there when the legislature was out of session. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-electors-and-what-do-they-get/471236/6 "2008-11-05T16:36:44Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > An all-expense paid trip to the state capital and lunch… This is also the custom in Ohio. They’re usually given some kind of commemorative Ohio-made knicknack, too. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-electors-and-what-do-they-get/471236/7 "2008-11-06T00:02:46Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > In practice, nobody ever gives a crap who the electors are. Not true. I was the head teller at our State Party Convention, and electing the 2 statewide electors was one of the most hotly contested ballots at the Convention. It’s a major honor, and people get very emotional about who to give it to.