Large crowd hears discussion of Electoral College

The President of the United States is elected by the Electoral College.  Most years the results of electoral votes and the popular vote are the same.  But in five elections in U.S. history, the Electoral College picked a president who had not won the popular vote.

Of course, 2016 was one of those times.  So a large crowd of around 80 people filled Decorah City Hall's council chambers Thursday night to hear Democrat Steve Mc Cargar and Republican Thomas Hansen discuss the Electoral College.

McCargar, who spoke first, said voters should elect "a president of the people, not a president of the states."  He said there is a member of the Electoral College for every 195,000 residents of Wyoming, but for every 700,000 residents of California.  Electoral votes are assigned based on a state's number of Senators and Congressman.  While the number of Congressmen is based on a state's population, each state has two U.S. Senators, no matter what its population.

Hansen said the Founding Fathers knew what to do and chose a blanced system, one that protected the smaller states.  "It's worked very well over the years," Hanson said of the Electoral College.  Changing the system to electing a president through the popular vote would lead to "rule of the mob," he said.