The stated rationale behind its creation was to serve as a compromise between:
* Direct popular election: The Founding Fathers feared pure popular sovereignty, believing it could lead to the election of unqualified or demagogic leaders swayed by the passions of the moment.
* Congressional election: They also rejected having Congress choose the president, fearing this would undermine the independence of the executive branch.
The Electoral College was intended to:
* Balance the power of populous states and less populous states: Smaller states would have a proportionally greater voice in presidential elections than under a purely popular vote system.
* Act as a filter: The electors were meant to be informed citizens who would exercise independent judgment in choosing the best candidate, rather than simply rubber-stamping the popular vote in their state. (In practice, this rarely happens today.)
* Promote national unity: By requiring candidates to build broad coalitions across different states, the Electoral College aimed to discourage sectionalism and encourage national consensus.
However, the system has been subject to much criticism over the years, with arguments centering on whether it fulfills its original purpose and whether it adequately reflects the will of the people.