Can someone explain the electoral college.

[Pommie]

I posted a few years ago that Americans didn't vote for the president but the electoral college but was shot down in flames. I'd like to know how the American system works.

Thanks,

Mike.

 

[jpanhalt]

I won't try to explain, but here's a link that may help: https://www.archives.gov/electoral-college/about

Every other link I checked purporting to explain it was full of political bias. Some people hate the process and others think it's by design a good process. If you think about Congress or even the overall design of America, we are a republic of more or less independent states. Republic rather than democracy is the chosen descriptive. Originally, members of the House of Representatives were the only directly elected representative at the Federal level. Senators were appointed by Governors.

The Electoral College is a reflection of both. Times have changed, particularly after our Civil War with more federalization, less state power, and popular election of Senators.

I am ambivalent about the Electoral College. It reflects our Congress. It also provides a little protection from election fraud in highly polarized districts from affecting the overall outcome. In other words, some districts may be 105% for one party by ballot stuffing, but that does not affect the final result from the whole state. Our states have a say in how the electors are apportioned based on the popular vote. Most are all or nothing, but two states are proportionate: https://www.archives.gov/electoral-...o States, Nebraska and,and both split in 2020). It has not always been that way.

 

[ronsimpson]

Of the 58 presidential elections, 53 of the winners took both the Electoral College and the popular vote. But in five incredibly close elections—including those for two of the past three presidents—the winner of the Electoral College was in fact the loser of the popular vote.

Donald Trump (2016), George W. Bush (2000), Benjamin Harrison (1888), Rutherford B. Hayes (1876), John Quincy Adams (1824)​

 

[Pommie]

Out of curiosity (it is that time again), is it possible for a draw to happen I.E. each candidate gets 269 votes? If not, why not?

Mike.
Edit, just googled it and it seems a tie is possible. It sent me to this page.

 

[Papabravo]

Out of curiosity (it is that time again), is it possible for a draw to happen I.E. each candidate gets 269 votes? If not, why not?

Mike.

Yes. In that case the choice goes to the House of Representatives where each state congressional delegation gets 1 vote. The winner will be the candidate that gets 26 or more votes of the state congressional delegations.

ETA: The election of 1824 was such an election. Four candidates split the electoral college votes, and John Quincy Adams was selected by the House of Representatives. There were 22 states at that time so a plurality would have required 12 votes.

Also, the election of 1800 was decided by the House of Representatives.

 

[danadak]

The American system is slight of hand whack a mole approach.

Majority rule promised but not delivered.

Your vote counts....but maybe not today.

Democracy, an apparition in US ? You be the judge.

Look at representation, States each 2 Senators, so Montana gets 2, its population ~ 1 million, CA gets
2 senators, its population ~ 40 million. "Equal representation", galactic sized delusion.......

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

The American system is slight of hand whack a mole approach.

Majority rule promised but not delivered.

Your vote counts....but maybe not today.

Democracy, an apparition in US ? You be the judge.

Look at representation, States each 2 Senators, so Montana gets 2, its population ~ 1 million, CA gets
2 senators, its population ~ 40 million. "Equal representation", galactic sized delusion.......

Is it any worse than anywhere else?, politics is a load of liars and crooks regardless of where you are.

 

[Papabravo]

It has been said that we won't have to worry about voting or elections anymore. I know that some people are happy about that.

 

[ronsimpson]

I went to help hurricane victim in the south. Many of them think the Democrats caused the hurricane because none happened for Trump's four years. Most want Putin to have Ukraine and Poland and more, for a reason they can't explain. Some want to collapse the government because who need a tax hungry government. But they want the government to pay for their losses. After two weeks of helping "flat earthers" and people that think the "South will Rise again". These people vote if the ballets are hand counted not computer counted. I came home angry at our education system.

Sorry I should not have said that. Apparently my two-country education has totally failed me.

 

[For The Popcorn]

They voted their values. Hate, bigotry, xenophobia.... trump didn't drain the swamp – he made it acceptable to show those true colors.

If your child or grandchild carried on like trump with the name calling and hatred, you'd send them to bed without dinner, and maybe a good old-fashioned spanking to boot. Is this really someone to look up to?

My apologies to the world for our country re-electing a leader who has already created havoc around the world. We should be ashamed.

 

[Pommie]

Polititians, or as my friend calls then "Legalised mafia".

And, yes, it is the same everywhere.

Mike.

 

[Pommie]

I went to help hurricane victim in the south. Many of them think the Democrats caused the hurricane because none happened for Trump's four years. Most want Putin to have Ukraine and Poland and more, for a reason they can't explain. Some want to collapse the government because who need a tax hungry government. But they want the government to pay for their losses. After two weeks of helping "flat earthers" and people that think the "South will Rise again". These people vote if the ballets are hand counted not computer counted. I came home angry at our education system.

Didn't you know that you can stop a huricane out as sea by nuking them. Same as you can stop covid by injecting disinfectant.

Mike.

 

[Papabravo]

Didn't you know that you can stop a huricane out as sea by nuking them. Same as you can stop covid by injecting disinfectant.

Mike.

Or shining UV light up the bum.

 

[schmitt trigger]

I am originally from Mexico. But have been an US citizen 37 years. But keep my Mexican citizenship and vote in both countries.
I am considered a right winger in Mexico. I am considered a left winger in the US.

Right there, I know that I am a centrist.

 

[ronsimpson]

Right there, I know that I am a centrist.

Considering you handle, I think you are Right or Left but cannot be in the middle. LOL

In the 1920s and 30s "Mexicans" and people looking Mexican were rounded up and deported. They would not let people go home and get their citizen ship papers. Some of the people were not from Mexico at all. (just brown or not good at English) I hope we have learned but I think not.

During Trump-1 we sent people to the wrong country. We sent people that we knew would be killed and they were.
Keep your head down and keep safe. Trump only does about 1% of what he promises.

 

[For The Popcorn]

All of the adults have left the building, so there's nobody to hold him in (a little) check.

I suspect they'll 25th Amendment him before the ink is dry on his Sharpie signature is dry on Inauguration Day.... if he doesn't die a mysterious death first.

 

[schmitt trigger]

Considering you handle, I think you are Right or Left but cannot be in the middle. LOL

Very keen observation

 

[Pommie]

Considering you handle, I think you are Right or Left but cannot be in the middle. LOL

Best comment on this thread.

Mike.

 

[Papabravo]

All of the adults have left the building, so there's nobody to hold him in (a little) check.

I suspect they'll 25th Amendment him before the ink is dry on his Sharpie signature is dry on Inauguration Day.... if he doesn't die a mysterious death first.

Maybe Putin will get tired of playing with pawns and defenestrate him like he has done to so many of his oligarch "buddies"

 

[schmitt trigger]

Getting back to the original post.
I believe that, as originally conceived and considering the particular situation of the early United States, the electoral college made sense, lots of sense.
Unfortunately, it has been corrupted and nowadays it means only what the cartoon below shows: