Understanding the Electoral College Ahead of the November 5 U.S. Presidential Election

As the November 5 U.S. presidential election approaches, attention is turning to how the Electoral College will determine the next president. Rather than a direct popular vote, the Electoral College system allocates a certain number of electoral votes to each state, based on population. A candidate needs 270 out of 538 electoral votes to win the White House. This system often makes key battleground states critical in deciding the outcome of the election.