Someone help me understand electoral votes

[Axlfro]

Why is it that the election is based on electoral votes not on popular votes? how many votes=an electoral vote? How do they decide how many electoral votes there are in each state? Someone explain the system!

[AmarnaReign]

Not to be mean or anything, but are you really 23?

[saysmydoctor]

In theory, electoral votes are supposed to split 700,000 per vote. But states like Wyoming get 3 votes and have populations <700,000.

[Adeniz19]

electoral votes go by how many representatives/senators each state has +3 for DC. the system is in place so that unpopulated/rural states don't get completely nulled out and the big cities decide who runs the nation

stuff you should of learned in high school haha

[Axlfro]

lol your right. Just never sparked an interest until now

[Justin_stacy]

Why is it that the election is based on electoral votes not on popular votes?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_College_(United_States)#E lectoral_College_mechanics

how many votes=an electoral vote?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_by_population

How do they decide how many electoral votes there are in each state?

538 electoral votes = 435 Representatives + 100 Senators + 3 votes for DC (which is equal to lowest state in the Union). Separation is based on census that happen every 10 years and are divided up by population. With each state guaranteed at least one Representative and two Senators regardless of population. Which is why each electoral vote doesn't exactly equate to the same amount of population.