To be elected president, a candidate must achieve what?

To be elected president of the United States, a candidate must achieve a majority of electoral votes. This system, established by the Electoral College as outlined in the U.S. Constitution, requires a candidate to secure at least 270 out of 538 possible electoral votes to win the presidency.

The process involves voters in each state casting their ballots for president, and the outcome determines how many electoral votes each candidate receives from that state. While the popular vote can influence the allocation of these electoral votes, particularly in winner-takes-all states, it is the majority of electoral votes that ultimately decides the victor in the presidential election.

Electoral votes are distributed among the states based on their population, and the system is designed to balance the influence of populous states with less populous ones in the election process. This method underscores the significance of both geographic and demographic factors in shaping presidential elections, making the electoral college a critical aspect of the electoral process in the United States.