Explain how it is possible for a candidate to win the popular vote yet lose the electoral vote.
It is possible for a candidate to win the popular vote but lose the electoral vote due to the way the Electoral College system works in the United States. In the Electoral College system, each state is allocated a certain number of electoral votes based on its population size. The candidate who wins the popular vote in a state typically receives all of that state's electoral votes.
Therefore, if a candidate wins the popular vote by a small margin in heavily populated states but loses by larger margins in less populated states, they may end up with a higher total number of votes nationwide but fewer electoral votes. This is because winning more states, regardless of the margin of victory, often results in a higher number of electoral votes.
Additionally, some states allocate their electoral votes proportionally based on the popular vote, while others have a winner-takes-all system. This means that a candidate could win the popular vote in a state but still receive fewer electoral votes if they do not win the majority of votes in that state.
Overall, the Electoral College system can lead to discrepancies between the popular vote and the electoral vote, potentially resulting in a candidate winning the popular vote but losing the presidency.