Established by the U.S. Constitution, the Electoral College consists of 538 electors who are selected by each state to formally elect the president and vice president every four years. The system allocates electors based on the total number of Senators and Representatives each state has in Congress, with a majority of 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency. This mechanism balances the influence of populous states with less populated regions, as each state has a minimum of three electoral votes regardless of its population. While this process reflects the overall popular vote, it can lead to scenarios where a candidate wins the presidency without receiving the majority of the popular vote, as seen in the elections of 1824, 1876, 1888, 2000, and 2016.