Ever heard the phrase “270 to win” during a US presidential election? It’s the magic number every candidate aims for, but what exactly does it mean and why is it so crucial?
Well, in the United States, electing a president isn’t as simple as just getting the most individual votes across the country. Instead, we use something called, the Electoral College.
Think of it like this: each state is assigned a certain number of electoral votes, roughly based on its population. The more people in a state, the more electoral votes it gets.
In most states, whichever candidate wins the popular vote within that specific state, gets all of that state’s electoral votes. It’s a winner-take-all system, you see.
There are a total of 538 electoral votes up for grabs nationwide. To become president, a candidate needs to win at least 270 of them. Why 270? Because it’s a simple majority – more than half of 538!
So, “270 to win” is the magic number because it guarantees a clear majority in the Electoral College, deciding who will be the next President of the United States. It’s why candidates focus so much on specific states, not just the national popular vote!