The Electoral College is a body of representatives, or “electors,” chosen by each state and the District of Columbia to formally elect the president and vice president of the United States. The total number of electors is 538, with each state’s allotment based on its representation in Congress (the sum of its U.S. Senators and House Representatives). A candidate needs a majority—at least 270 electoral votes—to win the presidency.
Why was the Electoral College created?
The Founding Fathers established the Electoral College as a compromise between electing the president by a vote in Congress and electing the president by direct popular vote. They feared that a purely popular vote might lead to regional candidates winning without broad national support and that direct democracy might put too much power in the hands of an uninformed majority.
The Electoral College was intended as a safeguard that encouraged candidates to appeal to a wide coalition of states and populations rather than focusing on urban centers alone.
How does the Electoral College work?
Allocation of electors: Each state is assigned a number of electors equal to its total congressional representation. For instance, California, the most populous state, has 55 electoral votes (53 representatives plus two senators), while smaller states like Wyoming have only 3 (1 representative plus two senators).
The popular vote: On Election Day, voters in each state cast their ballots, technically voting for a slate of electors who have pledged to support a particular candidate. In nearly all states, the candidate who wins the most votes in that state receives all its electoral votes—a system known as “winner-takes-all.” Only Maine and Nebraska deviate, allocating electoral votes by congressional district, with two votes going to the statewide winner.
The electors cast their votes: In December, after the popular vote, the electors meet in their respective state capitals to cast their official votes for president and vice president. These votes are then sent to Congress for a formal count in January.
Certification: Congress meets to tally the electoral votes, and the candidate with at least 270 electoral votes is declared the president-elect.
Follow us on X @BeInTheKnow_UK
