Tricksy electorses!
This remarkable article from the Boston Globe points out an often-overlooked feature of the Electoral College. Sure, it’s commonly observed that the process weights elections in favor of small states, by adding two points to everybody’s population-based share. And it’s also commonly defended by that rationale, the same one we use in determining the makeup of the Senate.
But–I’ve never heard this before–there’s a much more sinister aspect to the creaky old thing. Electoral points (calling them “votes” is a bit anachronistic) are awarded based on the total number of potential voters, not the number of votes actually cast. This means, in practice, that the system is in fact weighted not as much in favor of small states, but in favor of populous states with large non-voting populations. In other words–the former Confederacy.