How the US election works - BBC News

BBC News

14 Sept 202002:49

Summary

TLDRThe U.S. presidential election system relies on the Electoral College, a group of 538 electors who vote for the president based on their state's popular vote. Despite concerns over direct popular vote, this system was established over 200 years ago to balance democracy with the selection of a suitable president. With a candidate needing at least 270 electoral votes to win, it's possible to lose the popular vote yet win the presidency. Campaigns often focus on swing states, as seen in recent elections where candidates with fewer public votes won the White House.

Takeaways

🗳️ In the U.S. presidential election, voters technically vote for electors, not directly for the president.
🏛️ The Electoral College is a group of 538 electors who cast votes to elect the president.
📊 A presidential candidate needs at least 270 electoral votes to win the election.
📈 The number of electors each state has is based on its population size.
🏢 The 'winner-takes-all' system in most states means the candidate with the most votes gets all the state's electoral votes.
🔄 This system has led to instances where a candidate can lose the popular vote but win the electoral vote, as happened in two of the last five elections.
🎯 Campaigns often focus on battleground or swing states to secure the necessary 270 electoral votes.
📅 The Electoral College system dates back over 200 years and was designed as a compromise to prevent the election of an unsuitable president through direct popular vote.
🌐 The system is intended to ensure that presidential elections deliver decisive results across the vast U.S.
🔄 There have been ongoing efforts to change the Electoral College system, but it remains in place due to its proponents' belief in its effectiveness.

Q & A

How does the electoral college system influence the U.S. presidential elections?
-The electoral college system influences U.S. presidential elections by allowing a candidate to win the presidency without securing the majority of the popular vote. This is because each state's electors, who are members of the electoral college, cast votes for the president, and a candidate needs at least 270 of the 538 electoral votes to win.
Why was the electoral college established in the United States?
-The electoral college was established as a compromise by the founders of the United States to create a democratic system that would prevent the election of an unsuitable president through a direct popular vote. It was designed to balance the interests of both large and small states.
How are the electors in the electoral college chosen?
-Electors in the electoral college are chosen by political parties in each state. The process varies by state, but generally, they are selected by party members or at party conventions, and they pledge to vote for their party's candidate in the presidential election.
What is the significance of the number 270 in the context of the electoral college?
-The number 270 is significant because it represents the majority of the electoral votes needed to win the U.S. presidency. With a total of 538 electors, a candidate must secure at least 270 votes to be elected president.
How does the 'winner-takes-all' system work in the electoral college?
-In the 'winner-takes-all' system, the candidate who wins the popular vote in a state receives all of that state's electoral votes, regardless of the margin of victory. This can lead to a candidate winning the presidency even if they lose the national popular vote.
What are swing states and why are they important in U.S. presidential elections?
-Swing states, also known as battleground states, are states where the outcome of the election is uncertain and could go either way. They are important because campaigns often focus their efforts on these states to secure the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency.
How has the electoral college system affected past U.S. presidential elections?
-The electoral college system has affected past U.S. presidential elections by allowing candidates to win the presidency despite losing the popular vote, as seen in the 2000 and 2016 elections. This has led to debates about the fairness and effectiveness of the electoral college.
What are some arguments in favor of maintaining the electoral college system?
-Arguments in favor of maintaining the electoral college include ensuring that smaller states have a voice in the election, preventing the tyranny of the majority, and providing a clear and decisive outcome for presidential elections.
What are some arguments against the electoral college system?
-Arguments against the electoral college include the potential for a candidate to win the presidency without the popular vote, the unequal weight of votes across states, and the focus on swing states at the expense of other states.
Are there any efforts to change or abolish the electoral college system?
-Yes, there have been various efforts to change or abolish the electoral college system, including the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, which aims to ensure the presidency goes to the candidate who wins the national popular vote.
How does the electoral college system affect campaign strategies?
-The electoral college system affects campaign strategies by causing candidates to focus on winning swing states and maximizing their electoral vote count, rather than trying to win the popular vote nationwide.

Outlines

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🗳️ The Electoral College System in U.S. Elections

The paragraph discusses the U.S. electoral system, focusing on the role of the Electoral College in presidential elections. It explains that when Americans vote, they are technically voting for electors who will then choose the president. The system was established over 200 years ago as a compromise to prevent the direct election of an unsuitable president. Each state is allocated electors based on population size, and a candidate needs at least 270 of the 538 total electoral votes to win. The paragraph highlights that the candidate who wins the popular vote in a state typically receives all of that state's electoral votes, which can lead to a candidate winning the presidency despite losing the popular vote. This has occurred in two of the last five elections. Campaigns often focus on battleground states to secure the necessary 270 electoral votes.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Electoral College

The Electoral College is a group of electors chosen by each U.S. state to formally elect the President and Vice President of the United States. It is a process established by the Constitution as a compromise between election of the President by a vote in Congress and election of the President by a popular vote of qualified citizens. In the video, it is highlighted that Americans technically vote for members of the Electoral College, who then cast votes on their behalf for the President. This system is crucial to understanding how a candidate can win the presidency despite losing the popular vote, as was the case in the 2016 U.S. election.

💡Popular Vote

The popular vote refers to the total number of votes cast for a particular candidate or issue in an election. It contrasts with the Electoral College vote, which is the mechanism used to officially elect the President. The video script mentions that despite Donald Trump securing the presidency in 2016, he received almost 3 million fewer popular votes than Hillary Clinton, illustrating the difference between the popular vote and the Electoral College vote.

💡Presidency

The presidency refers to the office or position of the President of the United States. The video discusses the process of electing a president, which is not a direct result of the popular vote but is instead determined by the Electoral College. The presidency is a central theme in the video, as it explains how the U.S. system of electing a president can lead to a candidate winning the Electoral College while losing the popular vote.

💡Electors

Electors are the individuals who are members of the Electoral College and who cast votes on behalf of the citizens of their respective states for the President and Vice President of the United States. The video explains that each state is given a number of electors based on its population, and these electors play a decisive role in the election of the President. The term is used to emphasize the mechanism by which the President is elected, rather than by direct popular vote.

💡Majority

A majority in the context of the Electoral College refers to the minimum number of electoral votes (270 out of 538) needed to win the presidency. The video script points out that a candidate must secure a majority of the electoral votes to become President, which is a key aspect of the Electoral College system and a focus for presidential campaigns.

💡Swing States

Swing states, also known as battleground states, are states that could vote for either the Democratic or Republican candidate in a close election. The video mentions that campaigns often focus on swing states to secure the necessary 270 electoral votes to win the presidency, as these states can be pivotal in determining the outcome of the election.

💡Direct Popular Vote

A direct popular vote is a system where the leader or representative is chosen by a direct vote of all the citizens. The video script explains that the founders of the United States were concerned about the potential pitfalls of a direct popular vote, leading to the establishment of the Electoral College as a compromise. This concept is important for understanding the historical context of the U.S. presidential election system.

💡Compromise

In the context of the video, a compromise refers to the agreement reached by the founders of the United States to establish the Electoral College instead of a direct popular vote. The compromise was made to balance the desire for a democratic system with concerns about the potential election of an unsuitable president through a direct popular vote.

💡Campaign Strategies

Campaign strategies are the tactics and plans employed by political candidates to win an election. The video discusses how campaigns often focus on securing the 270 electoral votes needed to win, targeting swing states rather than states that consistently vote for the same party. This highlights the strategic aspect of U.S. presidential elections and how the Electoral College system influences campaign planning.

💡Decisive Results

Decisive results in the context of the Electoral College refer to the clear outcomes that the system is designed to produce, even when a candidate loses the popular vote. The video mentions that proponents of the Electoral College argue that it helps deliver decisive results across a vast country, ensuring that the rules are known in advance and that the election outcomes are clear.

Highlights

In the 2016 U.S. election, Donald Trump became president despite losing the popular vote by almost 3 million votes.

Americans technically vote for electors, not directly for the presidential candidate.

The Electoral College is a group of electors who choose the president of the United States.

The electoral system dates back over 200 years and was a compromise by the U.S. founders.

Each state's electors are roughly based on its population size, with a total of 538 electors today.

A presidential candidate needs at least 270 electoral votes to win the election.

In most states, the candidate who wins the popular vote receives all of the state's electoral votes.

It's possible to lose the popular vote but win the presidency by securing a majority of electoral votes.

Two out of the last five U.S. presidential elections were won by candidates with fewer public votes.

Campaigns often focus on battleground or swing states to secure the necessary 270 electoral votes.

In the last presidential election, two-thirds of campaign events were held in just six states.

The 538 members of the Electoral College play a crucial role in the U.S. presidential election.

There have been efforts to change the Electoral College system over the years.

Proponents of the Electoral College argue it ensures decisive results across a large country.

Everyone knows the rules of the Electoral College system before election day.