Do you have to have a majority of votes to win a federal election?

In a federal election in the United States, a candidate does not need to receive a majority of the popular votes to win. For example, in the Electoral College system used for presidential elections, a candidate only needs to secure a majority of electoral votes (at least 270 out of 538) to win. This means that a candidate can win the presidency by obtaining fewer than 50% of the popular vote, as seen in past elections.