The Electoral College can be one of the most confusing parts of electing a new U.S. President. When an election happens, citizens vote for their state elector. The winning state elector(s) will then vote, on behalf of the state's citizens, for the president. This indirect way of voting may not make much sense at first glance, but a detailed look can help shed some light.
Instead of a popular vote, where each citizen's vote counts directly toward the presidential candidate, each vote goes toward an electoral candidate. Each state is allowed a different number of votes toward the presidency, equal to the amount of senators and representatives that they have. This way, smaller states are not lost in the vote and large states get the representation due their population.
Citizens vote for the electors who have promised to represent the presidential candidate desired. In most states, all electoral votes go to the winning candidate. Maine and Nebraska divide it a little differently, giving one vote to each congressional district as well as a statewide vote. This is considered slightly more fair than the popular vote taking the entire state, but has yet to be adopted by more states.
Citizens vote for the electors who have promised to represent the presidential candidate desired. In most states, all electoral votes go to the winning candidate. Maine and Nebraska divide it a little differently, giving one vote to each congressional district as well as a statewide vote. This is considered slightly more fair than the popular vote taking the entire state, but has yet to be adopted by more states.
The electoral college helps balance power. Big states and little states both get a say, and so do individual citizens. Removing the electoral college doesn't really provide any benefits, and may drown the voice of smaller states out.
The electoral college:
While for the most part the electoral college provides many benefits, it does have some drawbacks also. It's possible to win the presidency without winning the popular vote. It has even happened three times in the past, most recently in 2000. This surprising fact makes some people think the electoral college should be removed altogether. It is also legal for electors to vote against the wishes of the people.
The electoral college provides many benefits to the system, stability and balance of power being the most critical. The electoral college keeps any one part of the government from gaining too much power. Like most parts of the government however, its drawbacks have to be weighed along with its good points.
