Dear Editor: How the Electoral College Works

Dear Editor,

There is much discussion and misunderstanding about the electoral method we use to elect the President of the United States. It is really a simple and good way to do it as I see it.

It is set up in the Constitution as follows: "Each State shall appoint in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector."

The reason for this system is that the United States of America is a nation of states. The nation, and the federal government, were created by the voluntary agreement of the independent states that existed after the Revolutionary War. The members of Congress are elected by the states, and the President is elected by the States. The candidate receiving the largest number of popular votes in each state has received that state's electoral votes.

Terry Murphy

Cardwell, Montana