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WORLD
candidates fight even for the last un- accordance with the representatives
decided vote, we, outside the United of the Senate which it delegates, and
States, who are only observers of the additional number of electoral votes,
process, are expected to have our fa- in accordance with the representa-
vorite already. Still, if you would like tives in the House of Representatives
to follow the election race in detail, which on the other hand, depends on
this so called manual will provide the the number of the population in the
basis to easily follow the elections in appropriate state. In this manner, al-
the United States. most, however not completely propor-
tionally, the distribution of the num-
ELECTORAL PROCESS ber of electoral votes for a President
For a country which is considered to of the United States is distributed ac-
cording to the relative participation of
have the highest level of democracy, the number of residents of each state
the electoral process for election of a in the total US population. In the end,
President is quite complex, it is not di- what is vital to understand the elec-
rect, and every vote does not have pre- toral process is that, apart from the
cisely equal value. Although the citi- states of Nebraska and Meine, the re-
zens of the United States, that is most ceiving of the electoral votes in all oth-
of them, will use their voting right on er states is based on the principle “the
November eight (always on Tuesday), winner takes it all”, regardless of the
the election for President of the Unit- number of votes which contributed for
ed States will take place on December the victory in the appropriate state.
19th, when the selected representa- Therefore, in the large state of Florida,
tives of the so called Electoral College where more than 15 million residents
will convert their voice for one of the live, if one candidate wins with a dif-
candidates. Actually, on November 8th, ference of only several hundred votes
the citizens of the United States will (formally, this could be a difference
choose the representatives of the Elec- of only a single vote), would get all 29
toral College who will later on elect electoral votes, and the won awards
the President of the United States of from the citizens which his/her oppo-
America. Here it is not a matter of a nent received, will be completely lost.
possibility for a conspiracy and a be- If you remember the presidential elec-
trayal of the people’s trust (although tions in the United States in 2000 and
this is possible as well), considering the affair “Recount”, which was filmed
that the representatives of the Elector- later on, George Bush, with only 537
al College, in most states, are obliged votes difference, won in the state of
to follow the results of the elections Florida and won the 25 electoral votes
in the appropriate state, rather, the at the time, the total number of Flori-
knowledge of the system is important da’s votes, which was essential for him
in order to understand the technique to become a President of the United
wherewith so called electoral votes States, although cumulatively, at a na-
are won in every state separately. The tional level he won less votes than his
number of representatives in the Elec- opponent, Al Gore. Overall, what is im-
toral College is precisely 538, thereby portant to remember in order to follow
the total number of electoral votes the elections more easily, is that the
that the candidates compete for is candidates fight for the total electoral
538. These votes are distributed in the votes in every stateseparately, that the
states, almost identically according to total number of electoral votes is 538
the number of Congressmen which are and elected would be considered the
delegated by the appropriate state in candidate who will win at least 270
the House of Representatives and the electoral votes.
Senate. Accordingly, every statein the
beginning has two electoral votes, in
November 2016 71
