Politics –
Electoral College Set
To Certify President

Welcome to election day in America.

Yeah, I know you think that already happened on November 8th, but — well — it didn’t. Election day is actually the day the U.S. Electoral College meets to vote for and certify their choice for President of the United States.

Politics
You see, when you voted on November 8th, you weren’t actually voting for Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. You were voting for members of the Electoral College, who are expected to take your preference into today’s real vote and officially declare the president-elect.

Interestingly, the U.S. presidential contest is the only election that relies on such a system. Every other U.S. campaign simply selects the winner based on the number of votes they receive.  So, what’s the deal here?

Proponents of the Electoral College say the system was invented to provide a voice to smaller and less populated U.S. states. Or, in other words, it was meant to prevent states such as Montana and Wyoming from being ruled irrelevant by the politics of larger states such as California and New York. However, opponents are calling the Electoral College an antiquated system that is not only unfair to the majority of the country, but is responsible for electing Donald Trump — despite Hillary Clinton receiving 2 million more votes.

For more than a month, a Change.org petition has circulated calling for members of the Electoral College to save the country from Donald Drumpf today by declaring Hillary Clinton the next President of the United States. The petition is based on the belief that Trump is grossly unqualified, as well as the Russian hacking that likely helped to elect him. Additionally, various Hollywood celebrities, including Martin Sheen and Debra Messing, have engaged in a campaign begging the Electoral College NOT to make Trump the next U.S. Commander-In-Chief.

In a video circulating social media, celebrities remind us that America’s founding fathers invented the Electoral College to “safeguard the American people from the dangers of a demagogue, and to assure that the presidency only goes to someone who is ‘To an eminent degree, endowed with the requisite qualifications.'”

For much of the country, that person would NOT be Donald Trump. For much of the country, if there was ever a time that America needed to be saved from itself, this would be it!

Usually, the Electoral College vote is a mere formality that certifies the will of the people.  However, today’s vote could be unprecedented — particularly if several members defect and vote for someone other than who their state directed them to.

Several members have announced publicly they will vote differently today, which could come with legal consequences. However, despite a historical public out lash, Donald Trump is expected to be certified the official president-elect.

What do you think of the Electoral College? Is it still a fair and relevant system, or should it be outlawed and retired?

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