Electing the US president; how to To simplify the matter, assume there are only 7 states State A counts as 5 votes (based on population of that state) Majority voted for X State B counts as 4 votes ( based on ...). Majority in that state voted for Y State C counts as 9 votes (based on ... ). Majority in that state voted for X State D counts as 6 votes (based on ...). Majority in that state voted for Y State E counts as 14 votes (based on ...) Majority in that state voted for X State F counts as 6 votes ( based on ...) Majority in that state voted for Y State G counts as 21 votes (based on ... ) Majority in that state voted for Y To summarize: X received 5+9+14=28 votes and Y received 4+6+6+21=37 votes. Y is the winner. * * * I do not know why this system is called "Electoral College." In fact, the word "college" confused me for a long time. What does it have to do with colleges in which we study? Suppose the president is elected by the sytem called "popular vote," used in some other countries. In that case votes of individual citizens are counted, as illustrated below (this is also a simplification). State A ==> 22 million voted for X and 3 million voted for Y. State B ==> 4 million voted for X and 5 million voted for Y. State C ==> 9 million voted for X and 13 million voted for Y. State D ==> 12 million voted for X and 3 million voted for Y. State E ==> 8 million voted for X and 23 million voted for Y. State F ==> 2 million voted for X and 3 million voted for Y. State G ==> 11 million voted for X and 8 million voted for Y. To summarize: X ==> 22+4+9+12+8+2+11=68 million Y ==> 3+5+13+3+23+3+8 =58 million In this case X is the winner . . . . . . . . . . . Is this fair or not? See: www.nytimes.com/2012/10/03/opinion/electoral-college-101.html?ref=opinion http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/about.html Ludwik Kowalski, http://csam.montclair.edu/~kowalski/life/intro.html ===================================
