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Winner takes all refers to the fact that in most states, the winning candidate gets 100% of the electoral college votes. Even though the candidate may have gotten just 50% plus 1 of the votes.

This is the main reason a popular vote winner can still lose.

You could be the 51% winner in most states but lose by nearly 100% in the more populous states and still win. Which is why this keeps happening to Democrats. They win by landslides in NY and CA but then eek out a loss in some of the swing States.



I don't understand how you can have all electors voting for the national popular winner, and also somehow not have first-past-the-post?


"Winner takes all" problem refers to the Congress, not presidential elections.




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