Electoral College Home Page
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Nov. 8, 2000-- No matter who you voted for, this election has turned into a history lesson in American politics.

Everyone is talking about the electoral college. But do you really know what it is and how it works?

Talk to professors and political scientists and they will tell you it's a momentus day in American History-- the popular vote goes to one candidate, the electoral college vote may go to the other.

But that's the way the electoral system has operated for more than 200 years. The question is why?

When the 55 men who wrote the Constitution debated how to elect a president, it was a different America. There were no political parties, no national campaigns. There were concerns, however, that regional candidates would split the popular vote - the result, weak chief executives.

Tim Chambless, Ph.D./ Hinckley Institute of Politics: "AND SO, THERE WAS THAT FEAR OF PURE DEMOCRACY. WHAT THE FRAMERS OF THE CONSTITUTION WERE LOOKING FOR WAS A REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY. AS GEORGE WASHINGTON SAID, ' AN EXPERIMENT IN DEMOCRACY.'"

It wasn't long before the system ran into trouble. In 1824, Andrew Jackson won the popular vote but not the majority of electoral votes. Four candidates were in the race.John Quincy Adams, who came in second in the popular and electoral vote count, was elected president by the House of Representatives.

In 1876, Samuel Tilden won more popular votes than Rutherford B. Hayes. But Hayes won the electoral vote.

And it happened again when Grover Cleveland ran for re-election in 1888 and won the popular vote. But Benjamin Harrison won more electoral votes and the presidency.

So in this year 2000, the real presidential election will take place on the first Monday, following the second Wednesday in December. That's when 538 men and women will gather in their state Capitols to cast their electoral ballots.

Martin Connor, New York State Elector: "YOU SIGN THE BACK OF IT, IT'S NOT A SECRET VOTE REALLY... AND THEN YOU LITERALLY LINE UP, AS THE ROLE IS CALLED, AND DROP THE PAPER BALLOT INTO THE BALLOT BOX, FOR PRESIDENT."

And the counting of the electoral votes is announced before Congress in January.

But if enough people are unhappy with that and want to change the electoral system and the Constitution, we have the power to do so.

Prof. Chambless: "THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE MAY HAVE BEEN APPROPRIATE IN 18TH CENTURY AMERICA. BUT I DON'T THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR 20TH CENTURY AMERICA BUT EVEN, I SHOULD SAY, 21ST CENTURY AMERICA."

Easier said than done, changing the Constitution.

Who casts Utah's five electoral votes? The voters are appointed by the party in power at the time -- In the past, it has been the Goveror, Lt. Gov., business people, those very active in party politics. It just can't be someone who holds a federal office.

This year's list includes:

• Governor Michael Leavitt
• Lt. Governor Olene Walker
• Lewis Billings
• Arlene Ellis
• Ron Fox