US election 2024: how does America actually vote?
The US Electoral College is how America picks its president - but it's not as simple as a direct vote. Here's how Americans actually go to the polls with the Electoral College system explained.
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00:00The US Electoral College is how
00:03America picks its president, but
00:05it's not as simple as a direct vote.
00:08Instead of one person, one vote,
00:11citizens actually vote for
00:13electors who then vote
00:15for the president.
00:16Each state gets a certain number
00:18of electors based on its population
00:20size.
00:21For example, California has
00:2355 electors because
00:25it's huge, while a smaller state
00:28like Wyoming has just three.
00:31A candidate needs a majority of
00:32270 electoral votes
00:35to win.
00:36This system means a president can
00:38win without getting the most popular
00:40votes.
00:40Think of it like winning a game by
00:42scoring in key areas, even
00:44if overall points are lower.
00:47The Electoral College has its
00:49critics, but it's been part of
00:51American elections since 1787,
00:54so isn't likely to change anytime
00:56soon.