EXPLAINER: US vote is 51 elections, one in each state and DC

A major misconception about the vote for U.S. president is that it is a national election. Instead, it consists of 51 elections — one in each state and in the District of Columbia. And that’s more than a technical difference. The states conduct all elections and decide who is eligible to vote, beyond the bare requirements of being 18 years old and a citizen, set by the U.S. Constitution. For example, convicted felons can vote in some states, but not in others. And the national vote t