How is the President elected?

The President of the United States is elected through a process known as the Electoral College. This system was established in the U.S. Constitution and involves a unique mechanism where voters in each state cast their ballots not directly for the presidential candidates, but rather for a group of electors pledged to those candidates. Each state has a certain number of electors based on its representation in Congress, which reflects the state's population size.

When citizens vote in a presidential election, they are actually voting for their chosen electors who then formally elect the President. This process means that while public opinion does play a crucial role in the outcome, the final decision is determined by the electors. The candidate who receives a majority of the electoral votes—at least 270 out of 538—wins the presidency.

This method serves several purposes, such as balancing the influence of populous states with less populous ones and ensuring that all parts of the country have a voice in the election process. As such, the key distinction of the Electoral College is that it provides a constitutional framework for electing the President based on selected representatives rather than a straightforward direct vote by the populace.