2007-12-13 15:11:52 · 5 answers · asked by massy 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Elections
The Electoral College is to voting what grading on the curve is to a classroom. It allows states to elect the president and not the general masses. It's purpose is to diminish somewhat the influence of the most populace states over the less populace states. A state's electoral votes = the sum of the number of that state's representatives + senators. If we elected only by national popular vote, the candidates would never ever have to visit sparsely populated states like N. Dakota. They would only campaign in the large cities.
2007-12-13 15:58:46 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
well basically we have a popular vote for each state. Whoever wins the popular vote in a state gets its electoral votes. Meaning if Candidate A gets more votes in California than Candidate B, he earns the 55 electoral votes that California has. Once a candidate achieves a majority of the 500 something electoral votes, he wins presidency.
So your vote does count, don't get discouraged
P.S. Electoral points are based on population, so California (with a high population) has substantially more points than Wyoming (with a low population).
2007-12-13 15:19:00 · answer #2 · answered by John 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The electoral votes for each state go to the candidate who gets the highest number of popular votes in that state. The purpose of the EC was to make sure that the election result was clear-cut, even if the popular vote was close.
2007-12-13 15:15:54 · answer #3 · answered by TheOnlyBeldin 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are correct in this matter. Specifically, each State's electoral votes for President are directed in terms of the State's popular vote, according to rules laid down by that State's Legislature. The Founding Fathers gave each State some latitude for determining how to apportion Electoral College votes for President and Vice President under Paragraph 1.2 of Article II of the Constitution (as amended by the XI. Article of Addition to and Amendment of the Constitution).
Currently, Maine is the only member State that proportions Electoral Votes in terms of the State's popular vote. My own view of procedure would ideally direct each Elector per popular vote of a Congressional District, plus two per the overall popular vote Statewide (corresponding to the representation as Senators and Representatives per Article I of the Constitution).
2007-12-13 21:54:13 · answer #4 · answered by B. C. Schmerker 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
your vote decides who represents your state in the electoral college...dem or republican
2007-12-13 15:15:49 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋