Who selects electors in today's electoral college system?

In today’s Electoral College system, electors are primarily determined by the outcome of the popular vote in each state during the presidential election. Each state generally holds a statewide election where voters cast their ballots for their preferred presidential candidate. The electors pledged to those candidates are selected based on the allocation of the popular vote results.

While political parties do play a significant role in the process by nominating their slates of electors prior to the election, it is ultimately the results of the popular vote that decide which electors will be awarded to which candidate. In most states, the candidate receiving the majority of the popular vote is given all of that state's electoral votes, a system known as winner-takes-all.

State legislatures are not directly involved in selecting electors from the popular vote; rather, they define the rules for how electors are assigned but do not choose them outright based on the election results. The Supreme Court does not select electors either; its role is more focused on interpreting the law and handling disputes rather than directly participating in the electoral selection process. Thus, while political parties propose candidates for electors, the actual selection aligns with the popular vote outcome.