History of Choosing Presidential Electors

[Keith Broaders]

The History of the Choosing Electors

The Founding Fathers wanted the states to decide the method to be used to choose their Presidential Electors.  It was their intention to have the electors represent the people in districts rather than on  a statewide basis

They understood that if electors were chosen to represent the emtire state rather thab indicidual districts the heavily populated areas would determine the winner on Presidential elections.

the electionon the all  of the people in each of the Congressional Districts and  not the majority of all of the people in the entire state.

Since the majority of the people live in metropolitan counties the voice  of the people in the rural counties can not be heard.

In a republican form of government, the electors could be chosen by the legislatures of the states or elected by the voters in each Congressional District. .

The state legislatures weren't given the authority to dictate to the electors how they must vote, Compelling electors in the rural counties to vote for the candidates preferred in the metropolitan counties created a tyranny of the majority.

History of How Electors Have Been Chosen

 1788       1792      1796      1800       1804 

1808     1812     1816      1820         1824       1828

[Keith Broaders]

In the Presidential Election of 1788-1789 only 6 electors from Maryland and 10 electors from Pennsylvania were elected by the people the remaining 53 electors were appointed by the legislatures of their respective states.