So why does the United States even use the electoral college to calculate who actually won the necessary votes to become the next president and vice-president? It’s simple. Without the electoral college the smaller, less populated states would not be as important in choosing who became the next president.

This is how it works. Of the current 538 electors, an absolute majority of 270 or more electoral votes is required to elect the president and vice president (12th Amendment). If no candidate achieves an absolute majority there, a contingent election is held by the U.S. Congress to elect the president and vice president. A presidential contingent election is decided by a special vote of the United States House of Representatives, while a vice-presidential contingent election is decided by a vote of the United States Senate.

Without the electoral college only the larger, more populated states (California, Texas, Florida, and New York) would be important in determining who becomes the next president and vice-president of the United States. The Electoral College: A 2020 Presidential Election Timeline (congress.gov)

Homeschoolers: draw/color an illustration and record your observations of this historical event.