The Electoral College allocates a number of electors based on how many senators and representatives each state has in Congress (plus three electors for the District of Columbia, for a total of 538). Most states award all of their electoral votes to the candidate who wins that state.
More than six-in-ten Americans (63%) would instead prefer to see the winner of the presidential election be the person who wins the most votes nationally. Roughly a third (35%) favor retaining the Electoral College system, according to a Pew Research Center survey of 9,720 adults conducted Aug. 26-Sept. 2, 2024.
The Electoral College is always in focus during presidential elections. But a recent – as yet unsuccessful – effort to change how Nebraska awards its electoral votes has highlighted the prospect of a narrow Electoral College victory for either candidate in an extremely close race.
MNA