How can a candidate win the popular vote and lose the electoral vote

The electoral college decides the final result.

Explanation:

With the current system we have, each state is represented by a certain number of electoral college votes based on that states' population. For example, Washington State has a population of about 7.6 million people. Based on that number, they are given 12 (Twelve) electoral college votes. Whichever candidate has the most ballots cast for them in that state wins those 12 votes. This happens for every state in America. In total, there are 538 (Five-Hundred and Thirty-Eight) electoral college votes available. The first candidate to 270 (Two-Hundred and Seventy) wins the election. In Short, one candidate can have more votes cast for them, but then lose because the other candidate won in states that had more electoral college votes. This was seen in the 2016 presidential election.

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