Yes, but not directly. On November 5, voters will have their ballots counted as part of the
Population: 39 million (highest of any state)
2 Senators + 52 Representatives = 54 Electors (most of any state)
5 Big Questions About the Electoral College
In the final days before the presidential election, you can expect to hear a lot about the Electoral College. It’s not a school or even a place. It’s the unique system the U.S. uses to elect its president.
As You Read, Think About: Is the Electoral College the best way to elect a president?
1. Don’t the millions of voters across the country pick the president?
Yes, but not directly. On November 5, voters will have their ballots counted as part of the
2. How many electors does each state have?
The number of electors is based on the state’s total number of senators and representatives in Congress. Each state has two senators. The number of representatives is based on population. States with more people have more representatives—and more electors. Washington, D.C., isn’t a state, but it gets three electors. In all, there are 538 electors.
3. How does a candidate win?
A candidate needs a majority, or more than half, of the 538 electoral votes to be elected president. The magic number to reach is 270. Nearly every state has a “winner takes all” rule. That means the candidate who wins the most popular votes in a state is awarded ALL of its electoral votes.
Note: In Maine and Nebraska, electoral votes can be split between candidates.
4. Why do we have such a complicated system? And is it fair?
In 1787, the Framers of the U.S. Constitution had to decide who would elect the president. Should Congress do it? The state governments? Or should regular citizens pick the president in a popular vote? As a compromise, the Framers came up with the system we still have today.
It’s possible for a candidate to lose the popular vote but win the election. That has happened five times, including in 2016. Donald Trump lost the popular vote but won the presidency with 304 electoral votes. Because the candidate with the most popular votes doesn’t always win, some Americans think the Electoral College isn’t the fairest way to pick a president.
5. Which candidate has the edge this year?
The race is too close to call. As Scholastic News went to press, the latest
1. How is the number of electoral votes a state gets determined?
2. What does the article describe as the “magic number”? Why is this number important?
3. What is the purpose of the map?