The Electoral College was created as the Founding Fathers were afraid the popular vote would be easily swayed. Because congressional representatives is determined by population, electors are assigned based on representatives. More populous states have more electors. Because most states have a winner-take-all system, where the winner of the popular vote in a state gains all of the electors, several presidents have lost the popular vote and won the electoral vote. A candidate needs to win a majority of electors, or 270, to become the president-elect.
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