Politics Talk

The US electoral college, explained like you're tired

Every four years someone from abroad asks me this at a conference, so here's my tired version.

You don't vote for president directly. You vote for a slate of electors in your state. Each state gets electors equal to its House seats plus two senators. Almost every state gives all its electors to whoever wins the state, even by one vote (Maine and Nebraska split theirs). 270 out of 538 wins.

This is why candidates live in Pennsylvania for three months and never visit, say, Wyoming or California. It's also how you can win the popular vote and lose. Pros and cons are a whole other thread, and this isn't even a presidential year, but here you go.