What purpose did it serve in the 19th century? What is its function today?
2006-10-15 19:36:13 · 6 answers · asked by krismas 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Government
It has and does serve as the body that elects the President and Vice President.
The original purpose was that the founding fathers did not trust the public to properly elect the President.
2006-10-15 19:48:08 · answer #1 · answered by feanor 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Constitution does not have any laws concerning the election of Presidents except the Electoral College. In theory, every state could allow the Governor to choose the electors and there would be no presidential elections at all. The electoral college is about states' rights: each state has the right to choose how they will determine the national president. It is only long-standing tradition that says it will be by popular vote.
Not all states do it the same. Forty-eight states are winner-take-all (the winner of the popular vote, even if he won by a single vote, gets all the electoral votes.) Two states divide their votes by percentage of the popular vote. (Thus making them pointless to campaign in, since at most, you might pick up one or two electoral votes. If ALL states did this, it would make it necessary to campaign nationwide.)
But there is nothing stopping us from just selecting Electors at random and letting them pick who they want. Or letting the oldest person in the state select them. Or playing a statewide game of dodgeball to figure it out. No rules at all.
2006-10-15 19:49:31 · answer #2 · answered by Chredon 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Back in the day, we didn't have phones, radios, TV or the Internet. The results had to be made official in the Capitol. The founding fathers decided that each state would have "electors" go to the capitol to "certify" the voting results of each state. Gotta remember technology wasn't what it was way back when. Today, it's pretty much around cuz that's the law in the Constitution. We are a "representative democracy" the electors represent us.
2006-10-15 19:47:14 · answer #3 · answered by shogun_316 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Same function today as in the 19th century really- it keeps the whole country involved and crucial in the politcal landscape. If it wasnt for the electoral college, people in Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota etc... would really have no say and our government would be run by the hoods in LA, NY, and Chicago.
2006-10-15 19:40:11 · answer #4 · answered by Matthew R 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its function was, and is, to insure that anyone being elected President has backing from a broad spectrum of the country. In this day and age, it has the added advantage that in the event of a close race, you need only recount the vote in a state or two instead of in the whole country.
2006-10-15 19:40:52 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The same purpose it serves today, now go back to your civics class and this time pay attention.
2006-10-15 19:38:31 · answer #6 · answered by Colorado 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋