Citizens of the US do not directly elect the President and Vice President of the US.
The United States Electoral College is the institution that elects the President and Vice President of the United States every four years. Citizens of the United States do not directly elect the president or the vice president; instead, these voters directly elect designated intermediaries called "electors," who comprise the electoral college and have pledged to vote for the particular presidential and vice presidential candidates and who are themselves selected according to the particular laws of each state. Electors are apportioned to each of the 50 states as well as to the District of Columbia (also known as Washington, D.C.). The number of electors in each state is equal to the number of members of Congress to which the state is entitled. Therefore, in total, there are currently 538 electors, corresponding to the 435 members of the House of Representatives and 100 senators, plus the three additional electors from the District of Columbia. The candidate who receives an absolute majority of electoral votes (currently 270) for the office of president or of vice president is elected to that office.
More Info:
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What are your thoughts on this subject?
60 Comments
Denise Saunders
People that want the popular vote do not know how the system actually work. If the popular vote were introduced to this country, only a few states (California, New York, Texas, and Florida) would basically rule the country. That is why we have an electoral college. Also, WE ARE NOT A DEMOCRACY! Do they not teach these things in school anymore?
John McDowell
How can you go 'back' to the popular vote, when we've never had it. Changing it would require a constitutional amendment, and that isn't going to happen. What I'd really like to change is the length of campaigns. It's ridiculous to have campaigns start right after the previous election. We'll be putting up with this stuff for 22 months. Do like some countries, and limit campaigns to 6 months or less. No wonder people are burned out on political rhetoric.
Jim Smith
If I remember correctly, the people have never voted directly for the President nor the Vice-President. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Electoral_College) There has always been an Electoral College since the beginning of the U.S.. The Vice-President was an elected position for a number of years near the beginning. Adams and Jefferson, at least, were the "runners-up" to Washington and Adams and they became Vice-Presidents.
Vance Duncan
We the people never elected the President through popular vote, per the Constitution. Otherwise, we never would have been the U.S. we are today with 50 stafes. Without that provision the smaller states would have absolutely no relevance in their already marginal relevance. To change it would require a Constitutional Amendment.
Vance Duncan
John McDowell, you are so right on about limiting the campaigns! Also, limiting the terms for Congressmen (both House and Senate).
James Pemble
To all the posters who say we need to adopt the popular vote, please, educate yourselves.
Gary Kirkman
Charles Brandt - G W Bush and Trump along with three other presidents won without the majority vote. Suggest you reread the Constitution to understand why the electoral college is fair.
Shirley Dutt
If they were to end the lactose college,the city of Los Angeles would have more power than23 states. No thankyou.
Vance Duncan
Charles Brandt, wrong. It is not a "fact" that we need to "go back" to popular vote for President. The fact is we *NEVER* HAD that. You cannot go back to what you never had.
Bill Sieg
There is a reason why we have the Electoral College. Read your history.
cgrhm
We have the weirdest "greatest " democracy ever. No wonder other countries aren't interested.
bafox
pgangeles, Moron
earlepg
I'm all in favor of keeping it as is; just stop gerrymandering.
Robert Schulz
pgangeles, You must have missed out on that government class. Small states wanted a chance to balance the size of large states. That is the electoral college. You live in a republic not a democracy. Instead of acting like a tough guy and calling the POTUS names, perhaps you should get some education and understand why things work the way they do.
pgangeles
One person one vote. What does it tell you that in a number of years, the electoral college has elected the president not the majority of citizens.
We would not be in the mess we are in today with the huckster illiterate trump as president. I don't know about you folks, but I didn't vote for a lying, incompetent president.
Joanne Serin
Denise Saunders, yay, California!
Joanne Serin
It's about time to change that!
Ron Garfinkle
Howard Groopman, Actually, the final recounts in Florida gave it to Bush by an eyelash!
Ron Garfinkle
Jaminator, Try to amend the Constitution, Jam.. See how that works
Ron Garfinkle
littledick, Correct, but the "high figure" was basically due to two states, California and New York
Robert Mason
Thank God and the wisdom he granted our founding Fathers, we do no have a Democracy and the 'mob' vote, but a sensible, entirely rational system that has served the USA for 245 yrs. NEVER change it!
littledick
OK, agree, we are a republic. But can't we be a democratic republic?
littledick
Jim Gerber, There are a fair number of our past presidents that would never have been president also. However, I believe this election is the first time the vote difference was such a high figure.
littledick
Something that many seem to forget is that gerrymandering facilitates the electoral college. Gore's win of the popular vote by only 200,000 is much eclipsed by HC's win of 2-3 million 16 years later. During that time the GOP has done their legislative legerdemain very well by capturing many state legislatures and governorships nationwide. Democrats have not put enough effort in those areas, apparently stressing only those areas where they usually get majorities. That is why I say DT was elected by gerrymanders. Even without gerrymandering, it is still possible that electoral votes might go to the candidate that received less of the popular vote, but it would probably be much less likely and certainly would not be so stark as in this past election.
Carroll Price
Thank the lord they don't. Otherwise, 6 or 8 large metropolitan areas would elect presidents that 95 % of other Americans would have to live with.