U.S. Electoral College

The U.S. Electoral College is the system used to elect the president and vice president. When Americans vote in a presidential election, they’re actually choosing a slate of electors selected by each party. These electors then cast votes for the candidates, and the total electoral votes determine the winner—most states allocate all their votes to the candidate with the most votes locally. There are 538 electoral votes nationwide; a candidate needs at least 270 to win. This system balances states' influence and historically aims to ensure the candidate has widespread support across the country.