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Candidates need a majority of electoral votes to be elected. Because most states* award all of their electoral votes to the top candidate in that state, candidates do not need to win the national popular vote to win a majority of electoral votes. The result is that winning a few large population states (called swing states), even by a tiny margin, can guarantee election to the presidency. In 1876, 1888, and 2000, the winning candidate did not get the most popular votes nationwide.
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∙ 9y ago
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoElectoral votes
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Why should people vote if the election is determined by electoral votes?
The electoral votes are (more or less) decided by how many popular votes are cast for the candidates in various districts. So especially if you vote in a "swing state" and in an undecided district it is important to vote.
Which state has more electoral votes Kansas or Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania currently has more electoral votes with 20 electoral votes to Kansas' 6 electoral votes.
Did John McCain or Barack Obama get more electoral votes?
Barack Obama received more electoral votes, receiving 365 electoral votes to John McCain's 173 electoral votes (out of a total of 538), a difference of 192 electoral votes
Have there ever been a candidate who won by having more popular votes than electoral votes?
Not in the United States. The way the US is set up, the president is elected by electoral votes, not popular. In fact, President George W. Bush received a smaller portion of the popular vote instead of the electoral vote I believe.
How are the electoral votes in a astate distributed once the people cast their popular vote?
In Nebraska and Maine, whoever gets the most popular votes in each congressional district gets one vote. The other two votes per state go to whoever gets the most popular votes in the whole state. In each of the other 48 states and in D.C., whoever gets the most popular votes gets 100% of the electoral votes.
Who got more votes in the election of 1824?
Andrew Jackson received the most popular votes and the most electoral votes, but nobody had more than half of all electoral votes as required. When that happens, the House of Representatives elects the President. They chose John Quincy Adams.
Why Clinton get more electoral votes?
Hillary Clinton did not get more electoral votes than Donald Trump. In the 2016 presidential election Donald Trump received 304 electoral votes and Hillary Clinton received 227 electoral votes.
Did Al Gore have more votes than George Bush in the Electoral College in 2000?
he had half a million more popular votes overall PCH=540,520
Candidate who lost electoral vote and total popular vote but was chosen by the house?
That person was John Quincy Adams who was chosen as president in 1824 by the House of Representatives since no candidate received a majority of the electoral vote. Jackson actually won more popular votes and more electoral votes than did Adams.
Why do more populous states have greater influences in a presidential election?
Electoral votes are assigned mostly on population. The more populous states get more votes. For example. California get 55 electoral votes; Wyoming gets 3 .
What state has the highest electoral votes?
California, with 55 electoral votes in 2012.
How is it possible for the electoral vote to produce a different result from the popular vote?
That happens because the electoral votes are not given in the same proportions as the popular votes received. Virtually every state uses the "winner-takes-all" method of appointing electors. If, for example, 48% of a state's popular votes are cast in favor of Candidate A, 47% support Candidate B, and 5% support Candidate C, Candidate A gets 100% of that state's electoral votes and Candidates B & C don't get any.The Electoral College casts the electoral votes. It is comprised of representatives of each state. While the popular vote is held to have an impact on the Electoral College's decisions on who to vote for, it is not illegal for the Electoral College to vote another way. In addition, not every state has the same amount of electoral votes. It is possible for more people total to vote for a president, but since they are so spread throughout the states, the Electoral Votes may end in another way.
