US election: Why presidential candidates with most votes may not win

2 weeks ago 61

It has been a tight race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, and more twists and turns are expected after polls close on Tuesday, November 5, 2024
For a candidate to emerge as president-elect of the United States, he or she must win enough individual states to surpass the 270 electoral college votes needed
YEN.com.gh has determined that in at least five cases in history, the candidate with the largest share of the popular vote did not win the American presidency

The US election 2024 is just two days away, and the rest of the world is watching as Donald Trump battles Kamala Harris.

Trump, a former US president, is the flagbearer of the Republican Party. Harris, on the other hand, represents the Democratic Party and is the current vice-president.

How Americans elect their president as candidate with highest vote may not win

60-year-old Harris has the strong backing of incumbent President Joe Biden and former US President Barack Obama.

A few prominent personalities have endorsed Trump for president, including Elon Musk and Hulk Hogan.

Legit.ng reports that the 60th US presidential election will decide the 47th president - widely considered the most powerful job in the world.

Tens of millions of people have already voted early by mail or in person, thereby avoiding long queues or potential inconveniences.

US election: Popular vote doesn't guarantee victory

In the US, the candidate with the most votes can lose and Legit.ng explains how.

There have been five elections in US history - in 1824, 1876, 1888, 2000 and 2016 - in which the candidate who became the president did not win the popular vote.

American citizens do not get to choose the president directly. That task is reserved for the Electoral College.

Each state is awarded electoral votes based not on its population but on its representation in the US Congress.

Each state has at least one member of the House of Representatives and two members of the Senate, meaning every state has at least three electoral votes regardless of its population size.

The Electoral College has 538 votes, and an absolute majority of those - 270 or more -is needed to win. The constitution also contains a complex contingency procedure should no candidate win an electoral college majority.

The choice of president would then be decided by the House of Representatives, with each state delegation having just one vote.

More election-related news on Kamala Harris

More election-related news on Donald Trump

Trump vs Harris: states could sway outcome

Legit.ng reported that as the election approaches, Trump and Harris are focusing on seven pivotal battleground states that could sway the outcome.

Polls have indicated a tight race in states like Georgia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, further emphasising the importance of voter turnout.

Trump has secured significant financial backing, while Biden’s endorsement has strengthened Harris’s big in this closely contested American election.

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Source: YEN.com.gh

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