Editor, Gazette-Journal:
The editor argues (“The Electoral College,” Oct. 17 Gazette-Journal) that the method we have used to elect every president since George Washington should be discarded in favor of a national popular vote. He decries the fact that sometimes the winner of the Electoral College vote doesn’t also “win” the national tally. The “national popular vote” is a contrived exercise in basic math mandated by … nothing and no one.
After rejecting a national popular vote, the 1787 convention gave the task instead to the states. The Constitution empowers the states to select their electors any way they wish. In early presidential elections, many states directly appointed their electors; gradually, each state switched to a popular vote of the state’s electors. A simple change in state law and the states could return to directly appointed electors.
Here’s what will happen if a national popular vote is adopted:
A one-size-fits-all election system will be imposed on the states by Co...