When was the Electoral College instituted?

Question

I have heard and read sooooo many people complain that Bush only won the election by the votes of the Electorial College. However, this is how our elections have been voted on for quite some time.

WHEN WAS THE ELECTORIAL COLLEGE IMPLEMENTED? AND HOW MANY PRESIDENTS HAVE BEEN ELECTED SINCE THAT IMPLEMENTATION?

Answer 1

It was established by Article Two, Section One of the United States Constitution, which provides for a quadrennial election of Presidential Electors in each state. The electoral process was modified in 1804 with the ratification of the 12th Amendment and again in 1961 with the ratification of the 23rd Amendment. It was first written into Federal law in 1845.

It probably was first used during the election of Thomas Jefferson in in 1801, but definitely James Madison in 1809.

In layman's terms, the government decided that in order to fairly represent all citizens of the US (and it made sense back then but really doesn't hold water nowadays), each state would have a certain number of representatives based on the members of Congress and the House of Representatives. (Another reason why who controls the House is so important). Since many citizens lived in the boondocks and didn't have the opportunity to vote, it was believed that the representatives in the House and Congress, acting in the best interest of their constituents would best be suited to elect the President & Vice President.

Answer 2

Back in the 1700's, when America was much smaller, geographically and in the number of people. It was decided that, in order to elect a president, some way had to be devised to give a general sentiment of the electorate's views... so the Electoral College came about as an expediency.

The reason it's still around is, the politicians have learned how to manipulate it... hence the red and blue states.. if the actual POPULAR VOTE... which would now be possible because of computers and the Internet... EVER became the way to show how people TRULY feel.. the entire political climate would change and people like George Bush and his cronies could not cheat the American people out of their REAL choice by stealing the election out from under them.

Answer 3

It was set up in the US Constitution, and every US president has been elected this way. The idea was to prevent presidents being elected by the great unwashed masses. Instead, the electors that sit in the Electoral College were expected to be educated men who would choose a president that the country really needed and that could do the job, not someone who might appeal to the masses, but couldn't do much else. It also somewhat evens out the imbalance of power between large populous states and smaller or less populated ones.

Answer 4

Well the US Constitution - 1788 lays the groundwork for it (Article 2, Section 1) but it wasn't until 1804, with the 12th Amendment, which implented the Electoral College.

- since then it has been modified/ratified

1961 - 23rd Amendment (adding in D.C.)