The Electoral College system has been a subject of criticism following the 2000 and 2016 presidential elections. Some of the main criticisms of the system include:
The "winner-takes-all" system: In 48 states, the candidate who wins the popular vote in that state wins all of that state's electoral votes. This means that even if a candidate loses the popular vote by a small margin, they can still win the electoral vote and thus the presidency.
The possibility of "faithless electors": Electors are not required by federal law to vote for the candidate who wins the popular vote in their state. This means that it is theoretically possible for an elector to vote for a different candidate than the one who won their state.
The possibility of a "contingent election": If no candidate receives a majority of electoral votes, the House of Representatives decides the winner, with each state delegation having one vote. This could potentially lead to a president being elected who did not receive the most electoral or popular votes.
The possibility of the "popular vote loser" winning the presidency: This occurs when the candidate who wins the most electoral votes, but loses the popular vote, wins the presidency. This happened in the 2000 and 2016 elections.
The United States Census that occurs every ten years, is also related to the Electoral College system. The census determines the number of seats each state has in the House of Representatives, and also the number of electors each state has in the Electoral College. The census also affects redistricting and the realignment of Congressional and State Legislative districts. This means that states with larger populations have more representation in Congress and more electoral votes, which can give them more influence in presidential elections.
In summary, the Electoral College system has been criticized for its winner-takes-all system, the possibility of faithless electors, the possibility of a contingent election, and the possibility of the popular vote loser winning the presidency. The US Census that occurs every ten years, has an impact on the Electoral College by determining the number of seats and electors each state has, which can give more influence to the states with larger populations in presidential elections.