The Electoral College

The Electoral College is the system used to elect the President of the United States. Instead of a direct popular vote, voters cast ballots for electors pledged to support a candidate. Each state has a certain number of electors based on its congressional representation, totaling 538 nationwide. A candidate needs a majority, at least 270 electoral votes, to win. This system can lead to scenarios where a candidate wins the presidency without winning the popular vote, as seen in the elections of 1824, 1876, 1888, 2000, and 2016. It aims to balance influence between populous and less populous states.