How the U.S. Electoral College works

By Gil Martinez | November 7, 2016 | Last updated on November 7, 2016
2 min read

In the U.S., people do not vote directly for president and vice-president. Instead, they use a system called the Electoral College. Here’s how it works.

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In the U.S., there are two main parties, the Democrats and the Republicans. Each state has the same number of electors as representatives in the House and the Senate. All states have two senators each. Members of the House are assigned proportionally to the population of each state, with a minimum of one. The District of Columbia is granted three electors, although they do not have representation in Congress.

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Every four years in November, people in each state choose a president and vice-president (called a “ticket”), as well as other political players, ballot initiatives, local officials, etc. This year, the Democratic ticket is made up of Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine. The Republican ticket is comprised of Donald Trump and Mike Pence.

Faithless electors

Federal law does not require electors to vote according to the results of the popular vote in their states, although 21 states do. But the U.S. National Archives say more than 99% of electors have voted as pledged — and no elector has ever been prosecuted for failing to vote as pledged.

However, these “tickets” are not elected directly. Instead, the people of the state are voting for electors. The electors will then vote for the president and vice-president the state voters have chosen. All states award electors on a winner-takes-all basis, with the exception of Maine and Nebraska, which adjudicate electors proportionally.

The electors vote for the president and vice-president in December, with an absolute majority (currently 270 votes) needed to win those two offices.

Let’s take Kansas as an example. This state has two senators and four representatives. Therefore, they have a total of six electors. And because Kansas votes Republican, all six electors from Kansas will vote for Donald Trump and Mike Pence.

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Clinton’s path to the presidency is easier, but not assured. She needs an additional 23 votes to win. If Clinton wins Florida (29 votes), or Ohio and Virginia (18 and 13 votes, respectively), she will be the next President of the United States. Trump’s path is harder, but not impossible. With a 64-vote deficit, he must carry Florida and Ohio, plus a handful of other states, to be the favourite.

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Gil Martinez