The role of the Electoral College in U.S. presidential elections is to formally elect the President and Vice President. Before the popular vote takes place, each state is allocated a certain number of electoral votes based on its congressional representation. When citizens cast their votes on Election Day, they are actually voting for a slate of electors pledged to their chosen candidate. The candidate who receives a majority of electoral votes (at least 270 out of 538) wins the presidency. This system can lead to outcomes where a candidate wins the presidency despite losing the popular vote due to the allocation of electoral votes.*