How Are Elections Held in the U.S. and Why Do They Seem Complicated?

When Americans go to the polls in November, it is not the popular vote that determines the winning candidate. Instead, a complex system known as the 'Electoral Vote' is used to elect the next president. How does this system work? November 5, 2024; this is the date when Americans will go to the polls to elect a new president. However, this process is not that simple. On the ballots, the names of the Republican candidate Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Kamala Harris will be listed. But people do not vote directly for them. Instead, the President of the United States is elected by 'Electoral Votes.' Why does the Electoral Vote elect the president? This decision was made by the founders of the United States. They wanted to design a system that they believed was the fairest method for electing a president. In a public voting system, each individual has one vote. However, in this case, states with larger populations could dominate less populated states. For example, California's current population is 39 million. California is the largest state in the U.S. by population, and its population is greater than the total of 20 less populated states. A mail-in ballot for the U.S. presidential election. The public voting system undermined the principle of federalism, which the founders considered fundamental to the U.S. Constitution. Why can't Congress elect the president? This would put the executive branch under the control of the legislative branch, which contradicts the principle of separation and independence of the three branches of government. In fact, the Electoral Vote is a compromise that combines direct and indirect voting. Each state has the right to electors in the Electoral Vote based on the number of senators and representatives it has. For example, Wyoming, one of the least populated states, has a population of about 500,000. This state has two senators and one representative, giving it three electoral votes. California, with a population of 39 million, has two senators and 52 representatives, totaling 54 electoral votes. Therefore, while California's population is about 67 times that of Wyoming, its electoral weight is only 18 times greater. There are a total of 538 electors for all 50 states and the District of Columbia (the capital, Washington). Who appoints the electors? Usually, a political party selects and appoints the 'elector.' These electors are obligated to vote for the candidate who won in their state, but sometimes they do not and cast their vote for someone else. For example, in 2016, 10 so-called 'faithless' electors broke their pledge. Eight chose not to vote for Hillary Clinton, and two abstained from voting for Donald Trump. This did not affect the final election results, but it led many states to impose penalties for 'unreliable voting.' Capitol Hill, where the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate are located. Votes are counted independently by each state and the capital district, Washington D.C. Except for the states of Nebraska and Maine, the rest of the states operate under a system called 'winner-takes-all.' Therefore, if candidate A defeats candidate B in Wyoming with 52% to 48%, the winner receives all three electoral votes of that state. If candidate B wins in Texas, they receive all 40 of that state's votes. To win the election, a candidate needs at least 270 electoral votes. It is possible for the winning candidate to not receive the national popular vote. In 2000, Republican candidate George W. Bush won the electoral votes while his Democratic rival Al Gore received half a million more votes nationally. Also, in the 2016 election, the winning candidate Donald Trump received three million fewer popular votes than Hillary Clinton. The third debate between Al Gore, Vice President under Bill Clinton and Democratic candidate, against George W. Bush, Governor of Texas and Republican candidate in the 2000 presidential election. An important point about the U.S. presidential elections is the states with 'swing votes.' These are states where the election results typically fluctuate between the two Democratic and Republican candidates. These states are usually the ones that determine the final outcome of the presidential election. Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, and North Carolina are among the states with 'swing votes' that candidates pay special attention to, as winning them can help secure a majority in the Electoral College.