The presidential election in the United States will be held on November 5. However, there is no guarantee that the candidate with the most votes will win. This is because voters in the country do not directly elect the president. Instead, the presidential election is conducted through a system known as the ‘Electoral College.
What is the ‘Electoral College’?
When U.S. citizens vote in the November presidential election, most will vote for either the Democratic candidate Kamala Harris or the Republican candidate Donald Trump. However, which of the two will win is not directly determined by the votes of the people. Instead of a national-level contest, the winner and loser are determined through individual contests in each state.
Winning in one of the 50 states means that a candidate secures all of that state’s ‘Electoral College’ votes. The total number of Electoral College votes is 538.”
This explanation emphasizes how the Electoral College system functions in the United States, where the presidential election outcome depends on winning the majority of electoral votes across different states, rather than just the nationwide popular vote.
Except for the states of Maine and Nebraska, in all other states, the candidate who secures 270 or more electoral votes becomes the president. The running mate of that candidate will become the vice president.
How Does the Electoral College Work?
Each state in the U.S. has a set number of electoral votes, roughly proportional to its population. California has the most, with 54, while states with smaller populations like Wyoming, Alaska, and North Dakota (and Washington D.C.) have at least three electoral votes each.
Typically, states allocate all their electoral votes to the candidate who wins the popular vote in that state. For example, if a candidate wins 50.1% of the popular vote in Texas, they receive all 40 of Texas’s electoral votes, regardless of the margin of victory.
Can a Candidate Lose Despite Winning the Popular Vote?
Yes, it’s possible. A candidate can become president by winning several closely contested states, even if they receive fewer overall votes nationwide. For instance, Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in 2016, despite receiving around 3 million fewer votes than Clinton. Similarly, George W. Bush won against Al Gore in 2000, despite trailing by more than 500,000 popular votes.
Before them, only three other candidates had become U.S. presidents without winning the popular vote, and those instances occurred in the 19th century. Due to the varying number of votes per state, candidates often focus their campaigns on states with more votes.
Why Is It Called the ‘Electoral College’?
The term “college” here refers to a group of individuals who have the right to vote for a state. The Electoral College is a panel of electors, who essentially form a group of selectors. It is constituted every four years, and they select the President and Vice President of the United States.
Each state’s number of electors is determined by its representation in Congress: the sum of its Senators (two per state) and Representatives (proportional to the state’s population).
In this system, states with larger populations have more electoral votes. The Electoral College system is used only for presidential elections. All other U.S. elections are determined by a direct popular vote.
Are Electors Obligated to Vote for the Candidate Who Wins Their State?
In some states, electors have the legal freedom to vote contrary to the state’s popular vote, but in practice, electors typically vote for the candidate who won the majority. An elector who votes against the popular vote is known as a “faithless elector.” In the 2016 election, seven such votes were cast, but they did not change the outcome.
Some states can impose penalties or legal action against “faithless” electors.
What Happens If There’s an Electoral Tie?
If no candidate achieves a clear majority, the U.S. House of Representatives selects the President through a vote. This has happened only once, in 1824, when the Electoral College votes were divided among four candidates, and none achieved a majority.
Given the dominance of the Republican and Democratic parties today, a similar scenario is highly unlikely.
Why Was the Electoral College System Chosen?
When the U.S. Constitution was being drafted in 1787, the vastness of the country made a direct national vote for president practically impossible. As a result, the Constitution’s framers devised the Electoral College system.
The framers rejected both congressional and popular vote methods for selecting the president. They argued that a popular vote would result in citizens favoring local candidates, giving larger states undue influence.
Smaller states supported the Electoral College because it gave them a meaningful role in presidential elections. Southern states, which had large enslaved populations who couldn’t vote but were counted in population tallies, also supported this system.
Moreover, the framers didn’t want lawmakers in Washington D.C. to have exclusive control over electing the president.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Electoral College
The benefits of this system include ensuring smaller states are considered significant, as candidates don’t need to campaign across the entire country but can focus on key states. Recounting votes is also easier since problems can be isolated to specific states.
However, its drawbacks include the possibility of a candidate winning the popular vote but losing the election. Some voters may feel that their votes don’t carry weight. A few key “swing states” hold disproportionate influence.
What Are ‘Swing States’?
Most states consistently vote for the same party in every election. States known for reliably voting Republican are called “Red States,” while those favoring Democrats are termed “Blue States.”
Candidates don’t need to focus much on these states. However, a handful of states have voters whose allegiance is less predictable. Candidates pay special attention to these “swing states,” where it’s uncertain which party will win.
These states are considered the battlegrounds of U.S. elections and are often referred to as “purple states.” They are pivotal in deciding the winner. States like Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin were considered “battleground states” in 2016.
During every election, states with more electoral votes receive a lot of time and resources from candidates during their campaigns.
Who Are Fake Electors?
In 2020, many Americans heard the term “fake elector” for the first time. In that year, pro-Trump Republicans in seven states attempted to create their own “electors” to overturn the election results.
In some cases, they created forged documents resembling official certificates, signed them, and presented them in state capitals on December 14, the day when electors across the country formally cast their votes. Several participants in this scheme are facing legal action, and investigations are ongoing.
