Free Republic

As the US presidential election draws near, it helps to reflect upon the peculiar institution called the Electoral College in order to prepare for and understand the possibility that the next president might not reflect that popular political will of the electorate. This system, which is provided for in Article II of the constitution and was further refined by the passage of the 12th Amendment, has guided the selection of presidents and vice presidents since the late 18th century and has only been modified once - in 1961, is one of the idiosyncrasies of the US political system, a remnant...