Electoral College explained: How it could flip US Presidential election results

In the 2016 US presidential election, several factors contributed to Republican candidate Donald Trump's victory - his projection as an 'outsider' who was challenging the establishment, the Make-America-Great-Again (MAGA) slogan that resonated with nationalistic Americans, an increased voter turnout in favour of Republicans, and more.

But there was one factor that stuck out like a sore thumb for his Democratic challenger, Hilary Clinton.

It was the Electoral College.

Hilary Clinton had polled at least 2.8 million more popular votes, or the total number of votes, than Donald Trump, yet a controversial and much-debated American election system propelled the Republican candidate to victory, nevertheless.

How did that happen?

It is because of a unique but complicated electoral mechanism, which was initially introduced to balance the influence of states in selecting the next President of the United States. Thanks to a strategic campaign focused on critical swing states, Trump secured 304 electoral votes compared to Clinton's 227 and rode to power in 2016.

What is the Electoral College?

Unlike a physical college, the Electoral College in the United States refers to a group of electors who gather in their state's respective capitals to designate the winner after the end of the polling. Nearly a month after the November 4 polls, these electors cast their votes.

This means - when US citizens vote on Election Day, they technically elect the electors who are affiliated with candidates of their respective parties in their state.

The Electoral College consists of 538 electors and a majority of 270 electoral votes is required to elect the new president.

Each state has a certain number of electors based on its representation - both in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Why was the Electoral College system introduced?

The system was introduced to ensure that all states have a fair say in presidential elections, irrespective of their size and population.

If popular votes disproportionately favour one candidate due to a large population in the state, the electoral college system kicks in to ensure a more balanced representation of the nationwide electorate's wishes.

How does the Electoral College work?

Most of the electors are party officials or leaders, but you won't see their names appear on the ballot.

Each state gets a certain of electoral votes that reflect its total representation in Congress. This includes two senators, but the number of House representatives is based on the state's population as determined by the most recent census data. For all practical purposes, each state is allocated a minimum of three electoral votes — two for its senators and at least one for its representative.

While states like Alaska, Delaware, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming have 3 electoral votes each, larger states like California, Texas and Florida have 54, 40 and 30 votes.

Can Electoral College votes flip an election?

Yes, the Electoral College votes can significantly impact the outcome of a presidential election. Let's understand how it works:

- Several critics have argued that this mechanism gives disproportionate power to smaller states, as they have a higher ratio of electoral votes per capita compared to larger states.

For example: In a small state like Wyoming, which has 3 electoral votes, a voter has three times the voting power compared to a voter in California, which has 54 votes in the offing.

- As small states have more electoral votes relative to their population, and often vote on predictable lines (either Democratic or Republican), the candidates focus their campaigns on larger battleground states where electoral votes are more contested.

- The winner-takes-it-all-system allows the candidate who secures a majority of the popular vote to be awarded all of the state's electoral votes in 48 of the 50 US states.

For example: If a candidate receives 51% of the popular votes in Florida, they will get all 30 electoral votes in the southeasternmost US state.

Maine and Nebraska, however, are exceptions, as electoral votes can be split between candidates based on the popular vote.

In 2000 and 2016, the electoral college mechanism led to scenarios when candidates won the presidency, without securing the majority of the national popular vote.

Will 2024 throw a similar verdict is to be seen.