What is the US electoral college?
An American president is not chosen directly by the people but by a group of officials known as the electoral college, in a manner prescribed by the US constitution and a complex set of state and federal laws. In theory, the electoral college chooses the candidate who won the most votes - but not always.

How does the electoral college work?
Each state has a number of electors in the electoral college proportionate to its population: the sum of its number of senators (always two) and representatives in the House.
Technically, Americans on election day cast votes for electors, not the candidates themselves, although in most cases the electors' names are not on the ballot.
California, the most populous state, has 55 electoral votes. A few small states and the District of Columbia have only three.
Today, the electoral college has 538 electors, and in all but two states, Maine and Nebraska, all of the state's electors are awarded to the winner of the popular vote within that state.
A candidate needs to win 270 electoral votes - half of the total plus one - to win the White House.
Part of a presidential candidate's grand strategy entails drawing a map of states the candidate can and must win to gather 270 electoral votes

Why was the system chosen?
When the United States was founded in the late 18th Century, a national campaign was virtually impossible given the size of the country and the difficulty of communication.
Also, the US at the time had little in the way of national identity, states were jealous of their rights, political parties were suspect, and the popular vote somewhat feared.
The framers of the constitution in 1787 rejected both the election of the president by Congress and election by direct popular vote, on the grounds that people would vote for their local candidate and the big states would dominate.
The Southern states favoured the electoral college system because while slaves had no votes, under the constitution they were tallied as three-fifths of a person in the census.
Isn't it unfair that the winning candidate might get fewer popular votes?
Indeed, this is seen as a major drawback of the system.
Since 1804, four presidents have been elected who did not win the popular vote.
Most recently, in 2000 Al Gore won 48.38% of votes nationwide compared to George Bush's 47.87%. Yet Mr Bush won because he got 271 electoral votes compared with 266 for Mr Gore.
The winning votes came from Florida, whose 25 votes all went to Mr Bush even though he won only 537 more popular votes.
Another drawback is that in many states the result is a foregone conclusion and there is thus little incentive for the individual to vote. It is also a disincentive for candidates to campaign there.
For example, large states California, Illinois and New York are solidly Democratic and Texas is solidly Republican

So what are the advantages?
The electoral college system is respected for its historical roots and because it does usually reflect the popular vote (48 out of 52 elections since 1804 produced a popular mandate).
It also gives greater weight to smaller states - one of the checks and balances the US constitution values.
For example, the largest state, California, has 12.03% of the US population but its 55 electoral college votes represent only 10.22% of the college total.
Wyoming, a sparsely populated state, has 0.18% of the US population but its three seats in the electoral college give it 0.56% of the college votes.
The college system also means that a candidate needs to get a spread of votes from across the country.
What happens if no candidate gets a majority of electoral college votes?
Under the 12th amendment to the US constitution, the House of Representatives elects the president.
Each state delegation, however, has only one vote, which means that the majority party in each delegation controls the vote. An absolute majority of states is required for election.
The vice-president is chosen by the Senate, with senators having an individual vote.
This has happened only once since 1804, when the electoral college system took its current shape with the 12th amendment.
In 1824, four candidates split the electoral vote, denying any one of them a majority.
Democrat Andrew Jackson had the most electoral votes and the greatest share of popular votes and expected to be president.
But the fourth-place finisher, House Speaker Henry Clay, thought little of Jackson and persuaded the House to back second-place finisher John Quincy Adams. Adams was voted in as president

Are the electors bound to vote for their candidates?
In some states they have a free vote but in practice they vote for the candidates they are pledged to, while in other states they are required to do so.
Only nine electoral votes have been cast against the state's instructions by so-called "faithless" electors, and no result has been changed by it, according to the Congressional Research Service. And in 2000 an elector from the District of Columbia abstained.
If the result is extremely close, a "faithless" elector could cause real trouble. The issue would probably have to be decided by the courts.
The electors are chosen by the parties before the election, often in a vote at a convention. The electors then meet in state capitals after the election to cast their votes. The results are formally declared to the Senate on 6 January. The new president is inaugurated on 20 January.

Interesting twist

2000: Republican George W Bush wins the White House with 271 electoral votes, though Democrat Al Gore won 540,520 more votes

1888: Republican Benjamin Harrison elected president with 233 electoral votes, though Democrat Grover Cleveland won 100,456 more votes

1876: Republican Rutherford B Hayes wins with 185 electoral votes, even though Democrat Samuel J Tilden won 264,292 more votes

1824: After four candidates split the electoral college, the House elects John Quincy Adams even though Andrew Jackson won more popular votes and electoral votes71 electoral votes, though Democrat Al Gore won 540,520 more votes

nah wah

Mods front page please, so nairalanders know how USA democracy works
Cc Mydd44 Lalasticala cekhoe

Malcolmx12:
Mods front page please, so nairalanders know how USA democracy works
Cc Mydd44 Lalasticala cekhoe

I nor be mod o, anyway ,since it's not snake or boobs, I doubt lalasticla will be interested

cekhoe:
I nor be mod o, anyway ,since it's not snake or boobs, I doubt lalasticla will be interested

I know u no be mod, use dat ur magic wea ur topics dey hit front page Na... Lol

Interesting...Though You Failed To Highlight The Swing States....That somewhat determine who becomes the POTUS..

Malcolmx12:

I know u no be mod, use dat ur magic wea ur topics dey hit front page Na... Lol

abeg o, how many of my topic s don make fp?

Clerverly:
Interesting...Though You Failed To Highlight The Swing States....That somewhat determine who becomes the POTUS..

right now there are 11 swing states. But Florida is the favourite of them 29 electoral college votes. Will add that to my post. Thanks

cekhoe:
abeg o, how many of my topic s don make fp?

e don many oooo. Like 3 or 4 topics. And snakes no join oooo lol

Malcolmx12:
right now there are 13 swing states. But Florida is the favourite of them 29 electoral college votes. Will add that to my post. Thanks

In Sumary, Trump is gonna find it difficult to win the race to the white House....

Clerverly:


In Sumary, Trump is gonna find it difficult to win the race to the white House....

Absolutely. The POLITICO Battleground States are in 11 swing states right now, a drop from 13 to 12 now 11 as poll draws close: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin. The sweet bride there is Florida

Malcolmx12:
Absolutely. The POLITICO Battleground States are in 11 swing states right now, a drop from 13 to 12 now 11 as poll draws close: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin. The sweet bride there is Florida

Among the early voters in Florida as at Now, is 51% to 38%, in favour of Clinton in a Four Horse Race...

I dont expect things to change significantly as we enter the V Day..

Clerverly:


In Sumary, Trump is gonna find it difficult to win the race to the white House....

Really difficult. Clinton has the election to lose.

Clerverly:


Among the early voters in Florida as at Now, is 51% to 38%, in favour of Clinton in a Four Horse Race...

Yes Clinton is leading in Florida, but right now it's razor-thin lead. The email scandal is biting hard. Funny enough many candidates are contesting this election. You can check them out.
http://www.politics1.com/p2016.htm

Malcolmx12:
e don many oooo. Like 3 or 4 topics. And snakes no join oooo lol

use your hand dey derail your thread, nor face us election matter wey hold you

Malcolmx12:
Absolutely. The POLITICO Battleground States are in 11 swing states right now, a drop from 13 to 12 now 11 as poll draws close: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin. The sweet bride there is Florida

Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Ohio, Michigan...

Also very important

cekhoe:
use your hand dey derail your thread, nor face us election matter wey hold you

lol. I have heard ma.

BiafraBushBoy:


Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Ohio, Michigan...

Also very important

yes true, Pennsylvania have as much as 20, Clinton is favorite in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Michigan. Trump is leading in Ohio

Malcolmx12:

Yes Clinton is leading in Florida, but right now it's razor-thin lead. The email scandal is biting hard. Funny enough many candidates are contesting this election. You can check them out.
http://www.politics1.com/p2016.htm

You are right....though the recent confirmation by the FFBI that they wont press any criminal charges against her..has swayed some voters over there...

Clerverly:


You are right....though the recent confirmation by the FBI that they wont any criminal charges against her..has swayed some voters over there...

absolutely, Trump is crying fowl, and have vowed to prosecute Clinton if he wins.

Malcolmx12:
yes true, Pennsylvania have as much as 20, Clinton is favorite in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Michigan. Trump is leading in Ohio

Really? I thought it was clinton's to take

BiafraBushBoy:


Really? I thought it was clinton's to take

lol nope, Trump is. Even in Iowa.

Jacqueline Marsh · Indiana University (Bloomington)
I'm a registered republican and I voted for Johnson.
Like · Reply · 2 · 19 hrs

Courtney Quinn · Works at UCLA
thanks for wasted vote
Like · Reply · 2 · 16 hrs