'Splaining the Electoral College

This might be a good time to give an explanation of how the electoral college works.

Each state's number of electoral votes is based on its total number of senators and congressional representatives. Since representatives are distributed according to population (though even the smallest states get at least one), more populous states have more electoral votes at stake. Additionally, Washington, DC--though not a state--has three electoral votes. U.S. territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, and Iraq, however, don't have any.

Since there are 435 members of the House of Representatives and 100 Senators, there are a total of 538 electoral votes (including DC's) in play during a presidential election. A simple majority of 270 is needed to win.

In almost every state, the electoral votes are a winner-take-all proposition. Nebraska and Maine are the exceptions. In those states one electoral vote goes to the winner of each individual congressional district, and the remaining two go to the winner of the entire state. At this point it looks like McCain won all five electoral votes in Nebraska and Obama won all four in Maine.

Not complicated enough? Well, then get a load of this: When you vote for President in the United States, the ballot will say something along the lines of "Electors for John McCain" or "Electors for Barack Obama." That's because those so-called electoral votes consist of actual flesh and blood people. They're usually the top party officials within each states, and they're actually the ones who will pick the next President.

And you thought we did that yesterday, didn't you?

The electors will gather, usually in the various state capitals, in December to cast their votes. Some states have passed laws binding their votes, but that has never been challenged in court. So theoretically, at least, they could vote for whoever the hell they want. Occasionally in the past someone has gone rogue, but it has never been enough of a problem to throw an election.

Their votes are then sealed and sent to Congress. In January, after the new Congressional members are seated, the ballots are opened. And THAT'S when our new President becomes official.

F*cked up? Yes. But you have to keep in mind that our Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution before marijuana became illegal.

See also "America's Electile Dysfunction Explained"