Tom Fudge : Voting for president is always an act of democracy that brings us a lot of excitement. But also a fair amount of frustration, depending on where we live and what candidate you support.
Let's say you're a Democrat in Texas. You can vote for Barack Obama. But your vote will almost certainly not count toward the final tally. That's because Texas is almost certain to go Republican, and the winner takes all of the electoral votes. Same applies to Republicans in California, which is almost certain to go Democrat. You can vote for John McCain next week, but your vote will almost certainly not count in the end.
The Electoral College is the way America has always chosen presidents, and it has a number of effects that a lot of Americans don't like. It has the effect of amplifying the power and influence of small states. It also causes candidates to focus nearly all of their energies on winning a handful of swing states. Again, if you live in the deep blue state of California, don't expect the candidates to spend much lot of time vying for your vote.
Guest
- Barry Fadem , president of the National Popular Vote .
