What is an Electoral Vote. Latest Update

How the Electoral College Works

The term "electoral vote" is a phrase many hear during presidential elections within the United States. The electoral vote is part of the Electoral College system and determines the outcome of that election. The Electoral College system is different from holding a direct popular vote: it adds another dimension to the election process.

The total number of **electors** forming the Electoral College is 538. The count of electors for every state corresponds to the whole number of members it holds in the U.S. Congress-the combined count of its Senators and Representatives within the House of Representatives. California, one of the most populous states, carries the total 55 electoral votes, whereas the small states, like Wyoming, will have just 3 such votes.

Most of the states use the system of **winner takes it all**, where a candidate who wins the majority popular votes within that state gets the totality of the electoral votes of that state. This is not the case, however, for the States of Maine and Nebraska where a proportional system has allowed the splitting of the electoral votes.

• Role of Electoral Vote

Winning the presidency will require winning a simple majority of electoral vote- **at least 270 out of 538**. If no candidate is determined to be that winner, then election selection will be decided by a vote in the House of Representatives where each state delegation has only one vote.

• Historical Context

Founded by the United States' Constitution, the Electoral College finds importance in the conduct of how a presidential election would actually run from the very foundation that was built in this land. Born from compromise about which it determined whether it was through votes in Congress or popularly elected as it would be determined among all citizens by their voice.

• Criticisms and Debates

The Electoral College has been controversial in the sense that it can literally nullify the popular vote. Critics of the practice are saying that it gives the power to smaller states, and actually allows a candidate to secure the presidency without winning a majority of the popular votes, as in the infamous elections of 2000 and 2016.

• Proposed Reforms

There are many reform recommendations that have been suggested, from abolishing the Electoral College in favor of a pure direct popular vote.

- The electoral votes are distributed proportionately based on the outcome in all states.

- The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact is a pact between some states and with it gives electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote.

Indeed, the electoral vote stands at the very heart of how U.S. presidential elections are determined. Although it forms the backbone of the Electoral College, there are still ongoing debates about its effectiveness and fairness in modern elections.

what is an electoral vote	what is electoral votes	states electoral votes
how do electoral votes work	electoral votes meaning	how many electoral votes to win
what does electoral votes mean	how many votes does trump have	popular vote
how many electoral votes does each state get	how are electoral votes determined	electoral college explained
how does electoral college work	what is a electoral vote	how many electoral votes does each state have
popular vote vs electoral vote	electoral vote meaning	how does electoral votes work
when does the electoral college vote	what is the electoral vote	what is electoral college
what determines electoral votes	state electoral votes	who is the electoral college
electoral college vs popular vote	dc electoral votes	states by electoral votes
electoral vote count	how many electoral votes	how many electoral votes does trump have
what is the popular vote	why do we have the electoral college	what is electoral votes mean
who won the popular vote in 2020	what do electoral votes mean	how does voting work
each state electoral votes	what is an electoral college	what is electoral vote
how electoral votes work	does the popular vote count	how does the electoral college work simple
how many electoral votes to win presidency	popular vote 2020	how many electoral college votes are there
electoral votes vs popular votes	how many electoral votes does vermont have	how many electoral votes does indiana have
who is in the electoral college	electoral college meaning	electoral college by state