The Electoral College consists of 538 people. In order to win the election, the candidate needs at least 270 votes (the majority). States get a certain number of people- based on the congressional delegation. They get one per member of the house of representatives and two for each senator. Washington DC gets three votes due to the 23 amendment to the Constitution. Most states have a ‘Winner Take All” system that awards the most popular candidate with all of the electoral votes. Maine and Nebraska have ‘Proportional Representation.’
The Electoral College was created for two reasons- 1. To give more power to the smaller states and, 2. To create a buffer between the population and the selection of the president. A buffer is necessary in order to protect voting from a tyrant that could manipulate the population into voting him or her into power. Alexander Hamilton wrote in ‘The Federalists Papers’: “ It was equally desirable, that the immediate election should be made by men most capable of analyzing the qualities adapted to the station, and acting under circumstances favorable to deliberation, and to a judicious combination of all the reasons and inducements which were proper to govern their choice. A small number of persons, selected by their fellow-citizens from the general mass, will be most likely to possess the information and discernment requisite to such complicated investigations. It was also peculiarly desirable to afford as little opportunity as possible to tumult and disorder. This evil was not least to be dreaded in the election of a magistrate, who was to have so important an agency in the administration of the government as the President of the United States. But the precautions which have been so happily concerted in the system under consideration, promise an effectual security against this mischief.” A poll taken says that 62% of Americans don't like the Electoral College, and would prefer to vote directly for the president. I agree with this, because the Electoral College votes may not represent who the people really want for their president. An example of this is in the 2000 election, when Bush won the Electoral college votes, but Al Gore won the popular votes.
Sources:
http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/about.html
http://www.historycentral.com/elections/Electoralcollgewhy.html
http://www.christianpost.com/news/should-the-electoral-college-be-abolished-59293/
Photo Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_College_(United_States)
Comments
Please break info up into paragraphs! A big portion of your blog is a quote of Hamilton. It really shouldn't be.