Final answer:
A distortion in presidential election outcomes can occur when the candidate with the majority of the popular vote loses in the Electoral College. Such scenarios have led to calls for Electoral College reform but eliminating or changing it would require a constitutional amendment. The controversy and debate over the EC persist, particularly after elections where the popular and electoral vote diverge.
Step-by-step explanation:
A distortion of the presidential election results as a result of the Electoral College (EC) can lead to a situation where a candidate who wins the popular vote loses the election due to the distribution of electoral votes. This has occurred in several instances, such as the election of George W. Bush over Al Gore in 2000, and more recently, with Hillary Clinton's popular vote win over Donald Trump in 2016 while losing in the EC. The calls for Electoral College reform have stemmed from such controversial outcomes, where the will of the majority of voters was not reflected in the final decision of the presidency. The system can also impact voter turnout and the strategic approach to campaigning, as it often leads candidates to focus on a handful of swing states at the expense of 'safe' states.
There are also concerns about the occurrence of faithless electors, who do not vote in accordance with the popular vote in their state, though such incidents have been relatively rare and mostly symbolic. Ultimately, eliminating the EC would require a constitutional amendment, a process which has proven difficult due to the divergent interests of states and the political contention surrounding election outcomes.
Efforts to replace the EC with a direct popular vote have gained little traction and the debate on whether the Electoral College system needs to be abolished or reformed continues, often resurfacing after controversial elections.