America has had the Electoral College system ever since 1788. It is when 538 representatives vote for the President and his VP. The 538 are split by all states. Depending on the states population the more reps. it has. Such as California has a big population so they get more than Iowa because Iowa has less people.All but two states (Nebraska and Maine) give all their electoral votes to the state-wide winner.
No matter who wins a election, about half of the people are going to hate the winner. The main weakness I think of the electoral college system is the possibility of a minority president. This is wear more than half of US citizens do not like the president who is elected.
The Founding Fathers want the system to help the smaller states. Without it California and Texas would pretty much decide who won and lost the election. It also protects the 2 party system. It makes sure that either a democrat or republican will be elected.
In American history, there have been four presidents elected loosing the popular vote but got elected because of the electoral college system. John Quincy Adams in 1824 was the first to do so but a little differently his opponent , Andrew Jackson won the popular vote. Jackson also led in electoral vote but did not get the required majority so the House of Representatives decided the election. Rutherford Hayes in 1876. Benjamin Harrison won even though Grover Cleveland won the popular vote. The most recent was George W. Bush losing the popular vote to Al Gore in 2000.
My personal opinion on the system is that there are flaws in just about anything. It has been in America for a long time and I don't think it will change for a very long time.
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