The Electoral College is the unique American system of electing presidents. It is different from the popular vote, and it has an outsize impact on how candidates run and win campaigns. Republicans Trump and Bush lost the popular vote during their presidential runs but won the Electoral College to claim the nation's top office.

The Electoral College has become one of the more controversial parts of the election cycle. Here's how it works and where Oklahoma plays a role.

One of the quirks of the U.S. election process is that one candidate can win the popular vote but another can win the electoral vote and thus the presidency.