According to the Article, why have some presidential candidates lost the election even though they won the popular vote? WASHINGTON, D. C. (Achieve3000, October 16, 2020). Votes are counted. The person with the most votes wins. This is true in most elections. But voting for U. S. president? That's different. Why? The Electoral College.

What Exactly Is the Electoral College?

It's not a place. It's a system for voting. How does it work? Each state has special voters. They're called electors. Bigger states get more electors. Smaller states get fewer. There are 538 electors in all.

First, Americans vote for president. These are called popular votes. Say a candidate gets the most popular votes in a state. He or she also wins ALL of that state's electoral votes. That's true in most states. To win, a candidate needs 270 electoral votes. Or more.

The Most Votes Wins, Right?

Not always. A candidate may not get as many popular votes. But if he or she wins the right states? That can add up to 270 electoral votes. Then that candidate wins. And becomes president!

That's why the Electoral College matters. A lot.