While the United States prides itself on being a leading democracy where each citizen’s vote matters, the Constitution designates a unique method for electing the president through the Electoral College.
This system has been in place since the first presidential election in 1789, which was won by George Washington, and it has governed 59 elections to date. In all but five of these elections—two occurring in this century—the president has won both the popular vote and the Electoral College.
For example, in the 2000 election, Democratic candidate Al Gore received 543,895 more votes nationwide than Republican George W. Bush. However, a contentious Florida recount, ultimately decided by the Supreme Court, awarded Bush the state’s 25 electoral votes, pushing him past the necessary 270 to win.
Similarly, in 2016, Donald Trump was elected president despite losing the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by a margin of 2.9 million votes. Trump secured 304 electoral votes compared to Clinton’s 227.
If the Electoral College results in a tie, the newly elected House of Representatives decides the election.
### How Electoral Votes Work
Each state has electors equal to its number of representatives in Congress, totaling 538 electors: 435 representatives and 100 senators, plus three for the District of Columbia. A candidate must win at least 270 electoral votes to become president.
In 48 states, the candidate with the most votes wins all the state’s electoral votes, while Maine and Nebraska allocate their votes by congressional district.
Critics argue that the Electoral College is an outdated system that undermines the principle of “one person, one vote,” often leading candidates to focus their campaigns on swing states, neglecting voters in other regions. Conversely, proponents assert that a popular vote system would lead candidates to concentrate on populous states like California and Texas, leaving voters in smaller states overlooked.
### The Major Candidates
**Kamala Harris**, currently serving as Vice President, aims to make history as the first woman and the first person of color to hold the presidency. Born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, Harris comes from a middle-class background. Her father, Donald, emigrated from Jamaica, while her mother, Shyamala, a cancer researcher and civil rights activist, hailed from India. After her mother’s death in 2009, Harris often reflects on her mixed heritage.
Harris became the first black district attorney of San Francisco in 2002 and later served as California’s attorney general. In the U.S. Senate, she gained attention for her aggressive questioning during high-profile hearings. She met her partner, Doug Emhoff, in 2013, and they married the following year. If elected, Emhoff would become the first “First Gentleman” of the United States.
**Donald Trump**, who served as president from 2017 to 2021, is again vying for the White House. His rise to power shocked many, disrupting political norms and altering the Republican Party’s trajectory. After losing to Joe Biden in 2020, Trump continues to present himself as a political outsider ready to challenge the establishment.
Born on June 14, 1946, Trump was the fourth of five children of real estate magnate Frederick Trump. He attended military academy before studying at Fordham University and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. Trump transformed his father’s business into the Trump Organization and became a reality TV star on “The Apprentice,” known for his catchphrase, “You’re fired.”
Trump’s critics have labeled him divisive and chaotic, with former chief of staff John Kelly recently likening him to a “fascist.” His rhetoric remains controversial, with anti-immigration sentiments central to his campaign. In 2016, he made inflammatory remarks about Mexican immigrants, and in 2024, he has made baseless accusations against Haitian immigrants.
As the election approaches, the Electoral College continues to play a critical role in determining the next U.S. president, even as the candidates embody starkly different visions for the country’s future.
Discussion about this post