How the US electorates have split ahead of presidential election day

We are days away from the 2024 United States States States Presidential elections. Most surveys have predicted a neck-and-neck fight between Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and Republican candidate Donald Trump. Central to this election is the Electoral College, the process through which Americans elect their president and vice president. Much like the 2016 and 2020 elections, the Electoral College is likely to be a topic of interest this year as well. The system has resulted in two presidents being elected without winning the popular vote.

Understanding The Electoral College

The Electoral College is not a place, but a body of Electors that formally elects the President and Vice President President President of the US. A candidate must secure a majority of the 538 electoral votes – at least 270 - to win the presidency.

Electors are chosen by political parties in each state, and in most states, they are required to cast their votes for the candidate who wins the popular vote within their state. Most states use a winner-take-all system. It means the candidate with the most votes in the state receives all its electoral votes. Only Maine and Nebraska use a proportional allocation system, allowing some electoral votes to be split.