Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-11-17
The Electoral College
And It's Purpose.

The electoral college and the functions it per-
forms in presidential elections is brought to the
public attention only in every four years, and
even then no general notice is given it unless the
contest is close. in the election just passed
Many citizens. therefore do not understand why
it is that the votes of all the States not added
together and the candidate who gets the most votes
declared elected. Instead they find the news dis
patches which give the returns speaking of this
State having so many votes and that State having
votes, with the assertion that the success
full candidate must receive majority of these
votes before he is elected.
The explanation lies in the fact that the people
of the United States do directly for presi-
dent at all. The names of the presidential can
didates may be ON the tickets. but If only these
voted, then the vote is invalid and will not be
counted. The voter his vote for list of men
called. electors, and these in turn cast their
ballots for president Each State is given as many
electors and therefore many electoral votes as
ii has congressman and senator's. The number of
congressman it has depends it's population, but
every State has votes for its senators. regard
less of the size of its population Some States
so small in population that they have only
congressman but have two senators and, therefore.
their vote Is three times larger in the electoral
college than would be allowed by population alone.
This provision in the constitution of the United
States was in recognition the sovereignty of the
States and it is further borne out in the compost
of the senate. In the senate all the States
equal each having two representatives.
The founders of the Republic were afraid to
give the people too much direct power. They
thought the people could not be trusted with the
duty of electing their ruler. They therefore, pro-
vided that the people should choose electors in
each OF the Stares and that these electors should
meet in the State that selected them and their
ballot for president The result should then be sent
to Washington and there counted. and the man
having a majority of the votes should be declared
elected president. and the one having the next
highest, vice president. After several elections
we're held under this arrangement it was found to
be unsatisfactory. and the constitution was
amended so that the president and vice president
should be voted for separately by the electors. The
electoral machinery, however, has otherwise
NAMED unchanged to this day. Candidates now
are put forth In advance. and the electors OF the
party offering them are pledged to vote for the
party nominees though they are not legally so
pledged or obligated.
There have been cases where the president
received the majority of the electoral college, but
not majority OF the popular vote. This situation
has brought complaints against the electoral
system as being antiquated and not in accordance
with true Democratic ideas. This agitation has
been renewed following the recent election. The
New York World, the leading Democratic paper of
the United States in a recent editorial pronounced
in favor OF abolishing It. Many of the Republican
papers have expressed themselves likewise On
the other hand the electoral college is thought by
many to be in line with the old Democratic doc
trine OF States rights because OF the fact that in
so large way It recognizes the sovereignty of the
States and makes effective the power of this
sovereignty.