US presidential elections are known for their lengthy campaign process and their distinct voting system. Rather than deciding the president through a direct popular vote, the US instead uses a system known as the Electoral College.
This is a specific process that ultimately determines the identity of the next US president rather than a popular vote, which is important to bear in mind when considering the Donald Trump Odds. To understand the ins and outs of the Electoral College system and how it works in an election, read on.
What is the Electoral College?
The Electoral College is a process established by the US Constitution, with a body of electors allocated to each state based on the number of seats held in Congress. In practice, that means two electors for the state’s senators in addition to its number of House representatives, which is determined by population.
As well as the electors assigned to each state, there are three for the federal district of Washington DC. None of the US territories are represented in the Electoral College.
This means that there are a total of 538 electors, with a presidential candidate needing to secure a majority of 270 electoral votes to be declared the winner of the election.
How does the Electoral College work?
The Electoral College comes into play during the final stages of the presidential election once the population has cast its votes on election day.
US voters cast their ballots on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, but they are not directly voting for a presidential candidate. Instead, their vote goes towards a slate of electors who are pledged to support a particular candidate.
Both the Democrats and Republicans nominate their own electors in each state, usually drawn from party members or notable political figures.
The majority of states, and the federal district of Washington DC, operate on a winner-takes-all system, with all of that state’s electoral votes going to the presidential candidate who wins their popular vote.
For instance, if a candidate earns 51% of the popular vote in the state of Florida, they will receive all 30 of Florida’s electoral votes. This is why states with a higher number of electoral votes are often the focus of a greater degree of campaigning during the election.
The only exceptions to the winner-takes-all system are Maine and Nebraska, which use a proportional allocation method instead.
This means that electoral votes are divided between the candidates based on the outcome of voting in each congressional district, with two additional electoral votes given to the candidate who gained the most statewide votes.
The role of the Electoral College
Electors meet in December to cast their official votes, with these sent to Congress for counting. This means that the outcome of the election is not made official for weeks after voters have cast their ballots.
It is not until early January that Congress will meet to count the electoral votes, determining the results of the presidential election. If one of the candidates achieves a total of at least 270 electoral votes at this stage, they are declared the winner.
In the case of no candidate meeting that threshold, the election is instead determined by the House of Representatives. Each state delegation can cast one vote in this instance, giving all states equal weighting in the event of an inconclusive Electoral College vote.
The Electoral College is a fundamental element of the US presidential election process, making it essential to understand for anyone following the progress of the election campaign.
Thanks to the presence of the Electoral College, the outcome of the election is not determined by popular vote, with certain states having the potential to shift the overall outcome one way or another.