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The reason the Founders established the Electoral College is along the same lines as why they designed that state legislatures would appoint US Senators which was the law of the land prior to the 17th Amendment. Both of these constructs were written to provide a ring of separation for the purpose of conceding power to states.

Once the 17th Amendment was ratified, the ring of separation of state legislatures was demolished thereby commencing a fading out of states rights followed so that today states have no power before the federal government.

Note that prior to the 17th Amendment, there were indeed popular votes or referendums on who a state should appoint as US Senator. But these votes were not binding. These were ‘show votes’. It was a mistake to allow the direct election of US Senators.

Power brokers of the federal government at the time of the 17th Amendment knew they would be taking power away from states because it would be easier to deal with loosely organized voters rather than deal with a state legislature that would demand concessions. To deal with voters, all that was necessary for the most part was to tell the people what they wanted to hear. With state legislatures, it was necessary to buy them off, potentially a much more expensive proposition.

The Electoral College was also set up to preserve the rights of the states to have influence over who would be elected President. But there has always existed an tacit agreement that the electors would follow the will of the People, the voters.

The US elections for President are also “show votes”. But like the 17th Amendment, it would be a colossal mistake for the Electoral College to be abolished by Constitutional Amendment. Why? Because it would essentially mean that New York and California would elect the President; the most populous states would control who would be in the White House thus making it much easier for power brokers to control the outcome.

The proper course of action before the 17th Amendment and now with the Electoral Collage is for states to ‘bind’ the legislatures and now the Electors to the will of the voters. The Electors are not to have any say in who they elect other than to follow the will of the voters.

The allocation of Electors to states is simply a number determined by census formula. The Electors are persons by history, as there were no instantaneous means of reporting the voter will of each and every state, the design was to have the Electors travel to Washington and vote according to the “show vote” plurality or majority of their states electorate.

Assigning persons to act as Electors is not really a necessity today, but certainly, the allocation of electoral votes for each state is a necessity.

In other words, the votes of the Electors should be automatic according to the will of the state’s voters, as if it were done openly by instant messaging.