What is the value of the Electoral College?

Question

Why doesn't the US just use the popular vote?

Answer 1

Electoral college is effective to represent each state in the national level to determine the President unlike a popular vote where a highly populated state could vote for their President.

Answer 2

(Copies, Pastes old answer. Since we get one of these questions every day)

Pro: The Founders of this nation had a justified fear of complete democracy. They set up a system where supposedly wise men, elected by the people, and holding no other office at the time, would chose a President. They knew "There's a sucker born every minute". They made sure that there was an insulating layer of responsible people between the voter and the presidency. Thus there is some protection from the lies and deceit that went on during election season, then just as it does now.

Con:
1. Those who failed their civics classes, or who have never received any instruction in our system of government, continue to complain and question the Electoral College. This makes the sheep easily identified and led by the barking dogs.

2. Those who wish to take advantage of the gullibility of the average voter would like to do away with the Electoral College, in order to make their nonsense campaigns more effective.

Although the Electors of most states are "pledged" to vote for the winner in that state, and most face criminal penalties for breaking that pledge, there may come a time when the Electoral College is forced to muster its courage and go against the vote. This could happen in a scenario where massive fraud or corruption is found between the national election day and the balloting of the Electoral College. This could happen, and is what was intended by the founders of this nation.

Answer 3

The point that everyone is missing is that we are electing a president for the country, not each state. It IS possible that a candidate could receive the majority vote, but lose based on electoral votes. How does that serve each voter-it doesn t, in fact why would a Republican in California for instance bother voting for a Republican candidate? A wise person would realize that his or her vote would not matter with the electoral college concept in place. State lines have no correlation to whom we elect as president, yet we continue to embrace this antiquated concept.

Answer 4

There is no value in the electoral college. It is just another way for democrats and republicans to keep control of the US goverment and to squeeze out other parties. It is an outdated institute that has served it's purpose. There was a time when people didn't have the information and education to make an educated choice, so it was needed to protect this country. I think we have outgrown it.

Answer 5

Because they couldn't be bothered changing it to a popular vote.

Also because people seem to keep forgetting that the president is meant to represent the entire country and not the states which are represented by the senate.

Answer 6

It keeps the US from becoming a society only concerned with its urban residents and their interests. Why not go a step further on constitutional changes? Wyoming has the same number of Senators as New York or California do.

Answer 7

Each state needs to be equally represented, or California and New York would be determining all the elections.

Answer 8

To keep two stupidassed huge population areas from affecting the entire country.

Answer 9

There is no value to it.

Answer 10

big states have more power