The Electoral College is how the president of the United States is elected. In the U.S., there are 538 votes up for grabs between all 50 states and the District of Columbia. To win the election, a candidate needs to secure 270 electoral votes which is the majority of the College.

The Electoral College is a process established by the nation’s Founding Fathers in the U.S. Constitution.According to the National Archives, the Electoral Collage is a compromise between the election of the American president by a vote in Congress and his or her election by a popular vote.

Explainer: If no one gets 270 electoral votes, the House of Representative decides who wins the presidency, with each state delegation getting one vote.

Every four years, U.S. citizens cast their votes in favor of the next commander in chief; however, while every vote counts, it is ultimately the Electoral College that determines who will be the next U.

They will cast their votes in the state they represent on the first Tuesday after the second Wednesday in December, the National Archives said. That means it will happen on Dec. 17, 2024.

States award electoral votes largely on a winner-takes-all basis, with a candidate needing a majority of 270 votes to win.

With the Election Day 2024 upon us and millions of Americans already casting their votes, here's what to know about a key piece of the election.

Over 160 million Americans are expected to vote in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election, requiring 270 Electoral College votes to win. Most states use a winner-takes-all approach, with close contests expected in battleground states.