Every four years, people head to the polls to vote for the next President of the United States. However, the popular vote doesn't directly elect any candidate. Instead, citizens are voting for a slate of electors, who have promised to cast their states' votes after the general election. Today, the Electoral College system is very controversial, leading many people to ask: why does it exist at all? That answer lies in the history of the Constitution and how its creators originally believed America's brand-new government should run and how its leader should be elected. As it turns out, the Electoral College was just as contentious in 1787 as it is today.
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Animals
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- USDA must now publicly report all animal welfare violationsUSDA must now publicly report all animal welfare violations
Environment
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- How the climate bill will dramatically cut U.S. emissionsHow the climate bill will dramatically cut U.S. emissions
- 'Goatelope' mummy found in melting European glacier'Goatelope' mummy found in melting European glacier
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- Can food crops grow in the dark? Scientists are working out how.Can food crops grow in the dark? Scientists are working out how.
History & Culture
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- Images revisit the railways that united Bengal before PartitionImages revisit the railways that united Bengal before Partition
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- What the end of the war in Afghanistan means to one familyWhat the end of the war in Afghanistan means to one family
Science
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- Why smallpox vaccines fell out of use—and how that affects monkeypoxWhy smallpox vaccines fell out of use—and how that affects monkeypox
- Meet the marvelous creatures that bring soil to lifeMeet the marvelous creatures that bring soil to life
- Why monkeypox cases are still rising at such an alarming rateWhy monkeypox cases are still rising at such an alarming rate
- Humans are not prepared for a pandemic caused by fungiHumans are not prepared for a pandemic caused by fungi
Travel
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Sailors, sirens, and surfers of the Basque Coast