Originally Posted by
Pete
Why is it then, that we even need an electoral college? Why can't elections be based off the majority vote. Do we really need a middle man?
I don't think we really need it, but some do. It's a vestige of older times when state rights were high on the priority list. Having each state independently choose a majority leader and sending their delegates to the electoral college was a way of ensuring that the states had some control over the process... a lot of people were distrustful of the fed at that time.
Probably outdated.

h: