Voters Do Not Directly Elect the U.S. President: Here’s How It Works

The 2024 U.S. presidential election, which is largely a contest between Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate, and former President Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, has come down to its final day.

Today, November 5, millions of American citizens who have not yet cast their votes through mail-in ballots will do so across the 50 states of the country.

For several months leading up to the election, Trump and Harris have been touring the country, moving from state to state, campaigning for the votes of the American people. While it may seem that voters directly choose their president, the reality is more complex.

Instead of casting a straightforward vote for the candidate, citizens vote for a group of representatives known as the ‘Electoral College.’

What is the Electoral College?

The Electoral College is the mechanism through which the United States elects its president and vice president. It comprises 538 electors, allocated to each state based on the number of Congressional representatives and senators. When voters cast their ballots in a presidential election, they are technically choosing electors pledged to their candidate rather than the candidate directly.

These electors then formally select the president and vice president in a process designed by the Founding Fathers to balance the popular vote with state sovereignty.

How Does the Electoral College Work?

Each state has a set number of electors equal to the combined total of its senators and House representatives. For example, California, with its large population, has 54 electoral votes, while smaller states like Alaska, Delaware, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming have just three.

When a candidate wins the popular vote in a state, they generally receive all of that state’s electoral votes—a system known as “winner-takes-all,” which is used by 48 states.

However, Maine and Nebraska are the exceptions, distributing two electoral votes to the statewide winner and awarding the rest based on congressional district outcomes.

To win the presidency, a candidate needs a majority—270 out of the 538 electoral votes. This means that while winning the national popular vote can be a significant achievement, it doesn’t guarantee victory; the candidate must also perform well in key states that hold substantial electoral votes.

Also Read: DNC: Kamala Harris Slams Trump on Abortion and His ‘Autocratic Ambitions’

Can You Win the Most Votes Across the Country but Lose the Election?

Yes, this has happened five times in American history, most recently in 2016, when Hillary Clinton won nearly 3 million more votes than Donald Trump. However, Trump secured 306 electoral votes to Clinton’s 232, giving him the victory. This phenomenon also occurred in 2000 when George W. Bush won the presidency despite losing the popular vote to Al Gore by approximately half a million votes.

Hence, candidates who win states like California, with 54 electoral votes, Texas, with 40, and Florida, with 30, have a better chance of winning the presidential election due to the high electoral votes in these states.

There are also key battleground states: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Winning the majority of these states—which collectively hold 93 electoral votes and have historically shifted between the Republican and Democratic parties—often proves crucial to winning the race.

Historically, candidates who win Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes often end up winning the election. In fact, this has been the case in 80 per cent of U.S. presidential elections, highlighting Pennsylvania’s pivotal role in determining the outcome.

Do Electors Have to Vote for the Candidate Who Won in Their State?

While electors are generally expected to vote for their state’s winning candidate, there is no federal requirement compelling them to do so. In some cases, “faithless electors” have cast ballots for candidates other than the one who won their state’s popular vote. However, these instances are rare, and many states have laws requiring electors to vote according to their pledge, though enforcement varies.

The 2020 Supreme Court decision in Chiafalo v. Washington upheld state laws that bind electors to their pledged candidates, reducing the risk of faithless voting. Nevertheless, faithless electors have historically not changed the outcome of an election; they are more often a symbolic protest than a disruptive force.

After the election on November 5, electors will cast their votes for the President on December 17.

What Happens if the Candidates Tie in Electoral Votes?

An Electoral College tie, where both candidates receive 269 electoral votes, is rare but possible. If a tie does occur, the election is decided by the House of Representatives, with each state’s delegation casting one vote for one of the top two candidates. Meanwhile, the Senate selects the vice president.

What Are Swing States?

“Swing states,” also known as “battleground states,” are states where voters are relatively evenly divided between the two main political parties. Unlike “safe” states that reliably vote Democrat or Republican, swing states are fiercely contested because they have a higher likelihood of influencing the Electoral College outcome. Some of the most well-known swing states include Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Trump Vs Harris: Who Will Win

Even with hours left until the election, the race remains tight, likely to go either way. In the seven key swing states, the latest polls show a close race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.

A final set of polls by The New York Times and Siena College indicates that, while Harris leads in Nevada, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Georgia by a negligible margin, both candidates are tied in Pennsylvania and Michigan, and Trump is predicted to win Arizona.

It is estimated that more than 82 million people have already voted before Election Day; however, the outcome of the final day of voting could significantly determine who wins between Harris and Trump.