The electoral college is a deal in the US constitution concerning election of the president. It's been there a long time, since the original ratification of the Constitution in 1789. The founders intended the electoral college to equalize the power of large states and give small states (like New Hampshire) a stronger voice in presidential elections. There have been a few presidential elections, most recently 2016, where the winner in the electoral college received fewer popular votes than the loser in the electoral college did. Trump for example.
Since 2016 a push to dump the electoral college and go with a straight popular vote has arisen. Even Youngest Son is in favor. As a citizen of a small state, I am against the idea, because New Hampshire gets to exert a lot more influence in the federal government than it would in a straight popular vote deal. For instance the NH first-in-the-nation presidential primary is important, all candidates have to show themselves in New Hampshire and pass muster with the New Hampshire electorate, a patriotic, well informed, and fair minded bunch. In a straight popular vote setup only primary elections in big states (California, New York, Florida, etc) would count.
Anyhow the "popular vote is all" people got my address and mailed me an 8.5 by 11 inch, two inch thick, five pound trade paperback urging the "popular vote is all". Massive it is. I don't plan to read it, I am against the idea. I wonder where this outfit got my name and address. It was addressed to "The Hon. David Starr". I only got elected NH senator less than a year ago, so they must have done some research fairly recently.
Anyhow, Long Live the Electoral College.
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