How the electoral college works

The video explains how the U.S. presidential election is decided by the Electoral College, which consists of 538 electors. A candidate must secure at least 270 votes to win. Each state gets a minimum of 3 votes, with the rest distributed based on population, except in Maine and Nebraska. The winner-takes-all system means a candidate can win the popular vote but lose the election, as seen in the 2000 election where Al Gore lost despite winning 48.4% of the vote, while George W. Bush won with 271 electoral votes.

What is the total number of electors in the Electoral College?

• 500

• 538

• 600

• 450

How many votes must a candidate receive to win the presidency?

• 250

• 270

• 300

• 350

Explain how electoral votes are allocated to states.

What does the 'winner takes all' system imply in the context of the Electoral College?

Provide an example of a presidential election where the candidate won the popular vote but lost the election.