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I would like to thank Steve Devereaux, for his well-researched letter concerning the Electoral College printed in the Nov. 27 edition. Devereaux presented an easy to follow explanation of the system and why our founders adopted it. He also pointed out the United States is a Constitutional Republic, not a democracy.
It should be noted that no such thing as a national presidential election exists in America, but rather 50 state elections, plus the District of Columbia. Each state has the number of electors equal to its Congressional districts, plus its two U.S. Senators. Therefore, each state's influence on the election of a President is equal to its Congressional representation.
Two other contributing letters on Nov. 27 by Mr. Bowers and Mr. Lowe were written from an emotional and partisan point of view obviously in response to their candidate having lost the election.
Here are some facts about the November election provided by the Washington Post dated Nov. 9: "Geography proves to be a crucial determining factor of how people vote. Clinton won almost 90 percent of urban cores, while Trump won the vast majority -- between 75 and 90 percent -- of suburbs, small cities and rural areas." The Atlantic reported Nov. 27, "Clinton has won only about 420 counties total--far fewer than any popular vote winner over the past century. In the roughly 3,000 counties beyond the 100 largest, Trump trounced Clinton by about 11.5 million votes." Included in this total are all 55 counties in West Virginia. So much for Mr. Lowe's assertion that the nation's problems are not urban vs. rural. Facts are facts.
Lowe attacked a previous letter writer who had stated that a Constitutional amendment is the only way to eliminate the Electoral College. Actually, Wolverton's statement is true. Lowe stated, "It can be done state by state by a vote of each legislature." I assume he is referencing the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, a group of states attempting to circumvent, but not eliminate the EC; space prevents addressing this further, but I suggest Lowe look at it. This effort has little chance of success.
Bowers is correct that eliminating the EC by Constitutional amendment is very difficult. It requires a 2/3 vote of both houses of Congress, and ratification by 3/4 of the states to approve, not 60 percent.
West Virginia is a prime example of why the founders established the Electoral College. Trump won all 55 counties and 69 percent of the vote in the state. America's President should not be elected by 17 percent of its counties.
Roger D. Propst
Grantsville