Why was the Electoral College created?

Why was the Electoral College created?

The Electoral College is the US system of voting the president. It consists of electors who were chosen by each state. These elected representatives (electors) would then vote formally for the president and also the vice president.

The Electoral College is one of the most fascinating elements in the US Constitution which is stated in Article II. It was framed in 1787 Constitutional Convention and now it still exists for more than 200 years.

The electoral process might be different in the United States because people, although they cast a vote for the president, are actually casting their votes for electors who in return will cast their votes formally for the president. Each state is represented by different numbers of electors. The number of electors is determined by 2 senators and the number of House of Representatives in that state. The larger the population, the more electors there will be.

Electoral College was formed because the Founding Fathers considered the votes of common people unnecessary. Before, most people could not read and write so it would just be a waste of time if they cast a vote for the president. Instead of them choosing the president, it’s the electors who vote for them. The founding fathers underestimated the voting capacity of the general population. They thought that people will just choose somebody whois not qualified for the position. A direct election is not for the general population but to the chosen intellectual individuals only. This is one reason why Electoral College was created.

Another reason is that, Electoral College system assures that each state is given a fair representation in choosing the leader of the United States. This is an advantage because votes are not based on popuality but thorough proper representation. With the help of the 538 members of Electoral College, the US president is formally chosen to lead the country.