Voices of America, via Wikimedia Commons

The Electoral College is made up of 538 electors who cast votes to decide the President and Vice-President of the United States. The number 538 is the sum of the nation’s 435 Representatives, 100 Senators, and 3 electors given to the District of Columbia. The candidate who receives a majority of electoral votes (270) wins the Presidency.

In the 2016 election, the popular vote disagreed with the Electoral College vote; the people voted Clinton, but the electors voted Trump. While many have since argued for the removal of the Electoral College and replacement by the popular vote, there are multiple reasons why this circumstance would be far less than ideal. The Electoral College was established by the Founding Fathers to ensure that America would be protected from decisions made by uneducated voters. Those who serve in the Electoral College are highly qualified, more so than most voters, some would argue. The Founders aimed to find a balance in government that would protect the people from not only the tyranny of the government, but the tyranny of the majority.

Another way in which the Electoral College protects from the tyranny of the majority is by ensuring every state has a say in the election process, regardless of size or population. If the election results depended solely on popular vote, candidates could potentially target their campaigns toward highly-populated areas, marginalizing small towns and rural areas. With the need to campaign in multiple regions under the current system, candidates construct party platforms with national interests in mind, meaning multiple groups are represented.