What is the Electoral College?
The electoral college is a process in which a president is elected. The process of electing a president is more complicated than it seems. When a US citizen casts in their vote, it is not really going towards the vote of the president. The votes are actually being cast for the electors who are running for the electoral college. The electors then vote for a president.
How it Works
The electoral college consists of 538 electors. In order to become an elector you must receive at least 270 votes. Every state must vote for an elector and the votes are counted on January 6th in Congress. The members of the electoral college cannot vote for whichever candidate they prefer though. How do they choose? Well, the electors actually choose a candidate by casting their votes. An electoral vote can only be cast once and the candidate who has the majority wins. If neither candidate gets the 270-vote majority, the matter goes to the House of Representatives.