facts about the electoral college. democratic or not?

I think this is important at this particular junction in time. this thread is for people who may not fully understand how the electoral college works in the U.S.

Here is the def. of electoral college from wiki.:

An electoral college is a set of electors who are empowered to elect a candidate to a particular office. Often these represent different organizations or entities, with each organization or entity represented by a particular number of electors or with votes weighted in a particular way. Many times, though, the electors are simply important persons whose wisdom, it is hoped, would provide a better choice than a larger body. The system can ignore the wishes of a general membership, whose thinking need not be considered.

Here is the U.S. version.

Some nations with complex regional electorates elect a head of state by means of an electoral college rather than a direct popular election. The United States is the only current example of an indirectly elected executive president, with an electoral college made up of electors representing the 50 states and one federal district. Each state has a number of electors equivalent to its total Congressional representation (in both houses), with the non-state District of Columbia receiving three electors and other non-state territories having no electors. The electors generally cast their votes according to the winner of the popular vote in their respective states, but are not required by law to do so.

Here is the definition of Democracy according to wiki.

Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system.

If the meaning of Democracy described here is true and the meaning of the definition of our electoral college is correct then,...

how is the U.S. a democracy?

The US is not a democracy. Never has been and I hope (although we are heading that way) we never will be one.

We are a republic, distinctly different than a democracy. Indirect is really the element most leave out.

Matter of fact, most people don't know that the members of the Senate used to be (and should still be) elected by the state legislators, not the people directly.

How they could change that I'll never know considering it was part of the Great Compromise.

Basically it's all about which electors your district have in place.

Basically, if you placed in the ppl for dem or rep for your district, then it is no need to vote the noted way anyway.

Plus, didnt they already reveal which candidate got the most electors seated way back? Its a done deal. So if somebody goes out to vote the noted way, just so they can feel they are yet doing something, and gets into an accident, it will have been for what should have already been understood established, unless they didnt agree with the seated and think their vote can override them.

So the moral of the story is if you want to vote a sure counted vote become an elector in the electoral college.

Absolutely, A republic is very correct, but there are many similarities between the two.

I know when I found out how the "system" worked I was shocked. Maybe truly dissapointed is a better way of putting it.

And I know, or at least i would say probably half the people out there still dont fully understand how it works.

Sad. So I post this and who know? maybe someone will be a little more informed.

Though, it probably wont make any difference...

We are not a nation of democracy. I wish it was but it's not. True democracy is well...more anarchistic in nature

There has been instances when a POTUS was elected by the Electoral College but lost the Popular Vote. So I think anything is possible tomorrow, as the Popular Vote (democracy) does not guarantee who will be elected.

Mabus~
sorry, i dont understand your post. no offence.

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I am really hoping to get someone that did not understand this is the way it is to reply. A perspective from someone who may have for the first time come across this info.

If you did not understand the U.S. voting process or maybe thought it was a majority vote, how do you feel about the reality?

The whole idea of the Republic, and in your implementation of it, with it's delegates, and electoral college, is that some people are more educated on the facts than others.

You deliberately put these disconnects in the otherwise mostly democratic system so that if the people make a 'stupid' choice, those who are more educated (ie delegates or those in the electoral college) can override them.

Some people think this is a good thing, as it stops the sheeple making a stupid mistake, but to me it is a disgusting hand-off of the power to a group of elites.

Of course in most situations the delegates and college will go along with the people. I would be very interested to see what would happen if they decided the people were wrong and overrode them, I could imagine revolt in the streets if that happened.

democracy is mob rule

-Plato

Well if we didn't have a Electoral College candidates would only try to win the states, counties and areas with the most citizens. It evens it out for the smaller states. And yes we are a republic not a democracy read your constitution, tell me where it says democracy.

"one man - one vote" is normally a basic democratic principle. the electoral college (and it's relation to residents) of the US makes the vote of a person living in Rhode Island 2.35 times more important than one of a california resident..based on this i'd say it could be more democratic...

not when all electoral votes go one way...

why couldnt the electoral college be split into the congessional districts the way maine and Nebraska do it? Seems much more logical to me.