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What are the benefits to the US Electoral College system? (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by Boldizzle@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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So I'm a New Zealander and I have a pretty good idea on how the electoral college system works but it honestly sounds like something that can be easily corrupted and it feels like it renders the popular vote absolutely useless unless I'm totally missing something obvious?

So yeah if someone could explain to me what the benefits of such a system are, that would be awesome.

Edit - Thanks for the replies so far, already learning a lot!

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[–] Sanctus@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The only benefit today is for the GOP. They would never win the presidency without it they are so unpopular.

[–] atlasraven31@lemm.ee 0 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I agree with the 1st part but admit that the GOP is popular among rural America.

[–] Xariphon@kbin.social 7 points 1 year ago

Rural America has very few people in it. The Electoral College makes "Rural America" matter by weighting it so that in effect landmass votes, not people.

My vote is worth something like 4/7 of a Wyomingite's vote because my state happens to include two or three large cities (that I don't live in).

[–] zerosignal@kbin.social 5 points 1 year ago

It may be popular in rural America, but the numbers aren't there. The gop has won the popular vote once since 1992.