1. It’s Not One National Election, But 51 Separate Races
Instead of a national popular vote where the candidate with the majority wins outright, the U.S. operates an Electoral College system established under Article II of the Constitution. This means voters in each state and the District of Columbia participate in a separate contest to award their state’s electoral votes. Each state has a specific number of electoral votes based on its representation in Congress (total House seats + 2 Senate seats). For example, Texas currently has 40 electoral votes, while North Dakota has 3.
Most states award all their electoral votes to the candidate who wins the state’s popular vote (a “winner-takes-all” system), but Maine and Nebraska use a different method. In these states, two electoral votes go to the state’s overall popular vote winner, and one electoral vote is awarded for each congressional district won.
2. Voters Don’t Directly Elect the President
When Americans cast their ballots for president, they are actually voting for a slate of electors chosen by their preferred party, not directly for the candidate. After Election Day, these electors meet in their respective states to formally cast their electoral votes, which are then sent to Congress for certification. Electors are usually state officials or prominent party members.
3. The Founders Designed the Electoral College to Limit Direct Democracy
The Electoral College was partly created as a safeguard by the founders, who were concerned about direct democracy. Political science professor Wendy Schiller notes that the system was originally intended as a check on popular opinion, ensuring that the selection of a president included an elite layer of oversight.
4. The System Can Lead to Unpredictable Outcomes
The Electoral College system can produce scenarios where a candidate wins the presidency while losing the popular vote, as happened in 2000 with George W. Bush and in 2016 with Donald Trump. Additionally, if neither candidate secures a majority of electoral votes (currently 270), a “contingent election” is held under the 12th Amendment. In this case, the House of Representatives elects the president, with each state delegation casting one vote. A simple majority of 26 state votes is needed to win. This has happened twice, in 1801 and 1825.
5. The Electoral College Reflects Shifts in Population Over Time
Electoral votes are adjusted every ten years, following the census, to reflect population changes. States with growing populations may gain electoral votes, while those with stagnant or shrinking populations may lose them, impacting each state’s influence in presidential elections.
