US Presidential Election Results 2024

The Electoral College chooses the president through electors from all 50 states and Washington, D.C., who are selected based on the popular vote in their respective states. 48 states and Washington D.C. use a winner-takes-all system, meaning the candidate who wins the majority of votes in that state receives all of its electoral votes.

The Electoral College is a process established by the U.S. Constitution for selecting the president and vice president, with the word "college" directed to the people who are accountable for casting the state votes and are known also as electors. This system is only used to select the president; all other US elections are decided by a simple popular vote.

Elections in the United States include federal elections (presidential and congressional), state elections (governors and state legislatures), and local elections (mayors and city councils).

An election for president of the United States happens every four years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The US will be having a presidential election this year, and it is scheduled for November 5, 2024.

The eligibility of a candidate to run for president is primarily checked by state election officials, often the Secretary of State, who ensure that candidates meet the constitutional requirements such as age, citizenship, and residency.

Title 3 of the United States Code sets protocols for the Electoral College process and requires states to issue and mail Certificates of Ascertainment, designating their electors, at least 6 calendar days before the electors' meeting.

The electoral vote can differ from the national popular vote because most states use a winner-take-all system, meaning all electoral votes go to the candidate who wins the most votes in that state.

While the popular vote elects members of Congress, mayors, governors, state legislators, and even more obscure local officials, it does not determine the winner of the presidency, the highest office in the land.

If no candidate obtains a majority of electoral votes, the presidential election advances from the Electoral College to Congress. The House of Representatives selects the president from the three (3) presidential candidates that obtained the most electoral votes.

Yes, electoral votes can be challenged when Congress counts them in January, although such challenges are rare and require a member of Congress to formally object.