The Electoral College is central to how presidential elections are decided in the United States, yet it remains a mystery for many, often perceived as complex and confusing.
To clarify, U.S. presidents are not elected by the national popular vote, which is the total number of votes each candidate receives. Instead, a group of 538 “electors” determines the president. This group is known as the Electoral College.
Who Are the Electors?
Before the election, political parties in each state select a slate of electors—actual individuals who will cast votes for the president.
Typically, these electors are party officials or supporters.
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Each state has as many electors as it has representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate.
For instance, Michigan has 15 Electoral College votes, corresponding to its two senators and 13 House members.
How Are Votes Allocated?
In nearly every state, the presidential candidate who receives the most votes wins all of that state’s electors, following a winner-takes-all system.
This means that even a narrow victory allows a candidate to claim all the electors from that state.
The exceptions are Maine and Nebraska, which allocate their electors based on a more complex system reflecting the popular vote at both the state and congressional district levels.
The District of Columbia, while not a state, also has three Electoral College votes.
Winning the Presidency
To secure the presidency, a candidate must obtain a majority of the electors.
Out of the 538 Electoral College votes, at least 270 are required to win.
The electors cast their votes in December, about a month after the election, and these votes are certified by Congress in early January, confirming the president who will take office.
Implications of the System
To win the U.S. presidency, candidates must focus on key states to reach the critical 270 Electoral College votes.
This means that a candidate can win the popular vote—total votes nationwide—but still lose the election.
A notable instance of this occurred in 2016 when Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton won the popular vote but lost to Republican Donald Trump, who gained crucial wins in states like Florida and Pennsylvania.
The Electoral College was designed to ensure that the political power of the states is preserved.
Some Americans advocate for abolishing it in favor of a direct popular vote, while others argue that it prevents highly populated states from overshadowing smaller ones, thereby promoting minority representation in U.S. democracy.
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