Facts on US Electoral College

THE EDITOR, Madam:

THE UNITED States has 50 states with approximately 250 million people. Each of our states has different populations with the heaviest being in California, Texas, New Jersey, and Florida just to name a few.

If we utilised the popular voting system similar to Jamaica, our candidates would tend to campaign in the most populated states, thus ignoring the citizens of those less populated states which would be unfair to them. Thus, the Electoral College voting system was designed by our forefathers back in the 1700's as a balancing mechanism, so that all citizens in every state get the attention they deserve from each Presidential candidate.

Furthermore, for a candidate to win, he or she needs 270 electoral votes. Granted, one is only partly correct when one states that the electoral votes are based on population. They are also based on the numbers of Senators and representatives in Congress.

I am etc.,

CHERYL FULTON

E-mail:

cfburns10@hotmail.com

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