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RE: The Big Winner of the U.S. Election Is...
I am not to knowledgeable about the US voting system, I thought it was impossible for one candidate not to get the 270 votes, am I wrong?
I am not to knowledgeable about the US voting system, I thought it was impossible for one candidate not to get the 270 votes, am I wrong?
There are a few independent (neither democrat or republican) candidates who could win a few electoral votes. I think that is highly unlikely at this point.
You are correct that with a binary-choice it is nearly impossible for one candidate not to win. Each state has a certain number of electoral voters given to it based on population. Usually the winner of the state gets those electoral votes. However, there have been cases in our history where the electoral voter votes for someone else.
The system was set up to be a check and balance type system. It is rare to have the electoral votes not echo the voice of the people in the state, but it can happen.
Just in case a candidate does not receive the 270 or more electoral votes needed, the House of Representatives decides who will be the next President. That has not happened in my lifetime and I can see that being a total mess today if it happened. But it has happened in our history.
Steem on,
Mike
According to CNN but it could happen since in general the 538 people who make up the electoral college can vote for who they want, but most the time they vote for the person who won the majority in the state. Just re-watching the video it also says that if there is a tie as well as if neither candidate get to 270 then the house votes for the president and the senate votes the vice president. Other then 2 states the winner of the popular vote get that states electoral vote, the exceptions are Nebraska and Maine, their electoral vote goes based on who won a combination of the state and counties.