A Page from Our Book
Page 22 – Electoral Votes are Nominating Votes
The common understanding of the word vote implies a final election. In other electoral colleges, the vote of the Electors is the final determination. The initial naming (or nomination) of candidates is also a form of voting or selecting. We will demonstrate that in the American Electoral College System, the duty of each Elector was to nominate (and only nominate) possible presidential candidates. In the absence of an exceptional circumstance, the House of Representatives would choose the President.
For this discussion we use examples with current numbers but simulate the function of the original system. The essence of the argument for the weighted model shown in the chart on page 21 is: Adding two Electors for each state regardless of population would add four votes per state equally, because each Elector would nominate two persons for president.
With 55 Electors rather than 53, California could have submitted 110 votes instead of 106 votes. With six Electors rather than four, Utah could have submitted 12 votes rather than eight votes. With three Electors rather than one, Wyoming could have submitted six votes instead of two votes. The additional votes would not add an equal percentage, but no state would lose votes. In a final election where the object is to eliminate all but one candidate this seems counterintuitive. Recognizing this as a nomination function however, it would not only be logical and reasonable, but it would be very desirable to collect additional possibilities for consideration.