Quote:
Originally Posted by sam_mrskincash
I think you guys have it a bit wrong. There aren't people voting for the electoral college. Each state constitutes a certain amount of electoral votes. By winning the popular vote in that state the candidate wins those allotted electoral votes. The ultimate winner of the election is the candidate who tallies the most of these electoral votes.
Please someone explain to me if I'm wrong.
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This is another good example of what's wrong with the system. When normal people don't know or are not able to do a quick "back of the envelope" explanation of how it works.
A system that is so tricky and intricate that normal voters don't understand it, then people tend to have no ideas to reform it, since they do not understand that it is flawed to start with. Some say it's part of a "rigged system" to keep the elite in power, but most probably more so it's an old thing which has remained because few understands it and then even fewer want to change it.
But yes, the electoral college is indeed made up of individuals, who actually (believe it or not!) have the right to cast their vote on either of the candidates during the voting on December 17th. They are elected to do one thing and that is to cast a vote for the people of their state, but just like the people of a state can change their mind at the voting poll booth, so can the electorals also do and there is nothing that can be done about it right then, right there. They will be seen as illoyal and never elected again, but they might still do some damage or in a close election like this even swing the Presidency.
It has indeed happened, in fact nine times since the year 1900, and in that time we have had 27 elections. As I wrote in my first post, it's called "illoyal electorals", look it up if interested.
I wrote the correct answer already in my first post, try reading it again. Why people, who have no clue how the system works comes in and says that I'm wrong is beyond me. If you want to correct someone or say they're wrong - well then you better be right yourself. I just happen to hate it when people try to correct me in general and especially when they are themselves wrong.
Just to be nice, I will include two links for extra reading:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faithless_elector
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elector...aithlessnes s