For you Europeans, I can understand your confusion. Primaries are NOT elections. They are the method each party uses to try to find their best candidate. As for the general election, Electoral College vs Popular Vote. You are seeing the reason right now, with your EU constitution. Ireland?

Ted, Ft Wayne, IN, USA

Simple answer please. When Members of the Electoral College get to the Convention, are they obliged by law to cast their votes as pledged or can they vote for anybody. And please, tell me what is actually possible, not what is "usual" or "unthinkable".

Al, Weybridge, UQ

A couple of clarifications:
The comments about the Electorial College are very good, however there is one additional aspect: the Electorial College gives a definitive decision. If the College were eliminated in favor of counting individual votes the process could be tied up in several States in specific voting districts where the votes would be close. It wouldn't be one Palm Beach County, it could be 15 or 20 or 30 scattered across the U.S.
The 2nd clarification is to emphasize that national elections are State oriented. There are 50 State parties, 50 sets of delegates to the national convention, 50 elections carried out on the same day at the same time, 50 sets of Electorial College Electors elected. and if the election should be thrown into the House of Representatives 50 votes cast to decide the matter. We tend to forget that it is the United States of america. The Federal Government is a creation of the various States. Keeping that in mind helps to understand the process.

HarryR, Newtown, PA

Over two and a quarter centuries have passed since it was suggested that England leave lower North America. In all that time we have not come up with a common sense, easily understandable way to elect our President. One can only imagine what our system must look like to our cousins in the UK. I'm afraid when you left for home you effectively thinned the gene pool to such an extent that we haven't recovered to this day!
Please keep us in your prayers.......

William Tuft, San Diego, California, USA

To answer Kevin jay Price's query on why the US does not have a 1 person: 1 vote system.

The electoral college brings balance and fair representation to those living in states that may be less populous, but may have a different impact on the country and thus different political needs. It insures interests in all American lifestyles are accounted for. A candidate may choose to only campaign in the most populous states and cities to score large amounts of individual votes, (New York) where the political needs of those consituents may be different than those in less populous areas. This politica strategy may lead to the downfall of a candidate who has negelected the lesser populous areas, (Kansas), but which play a large part in the US economy (Agricultural). Al Gore's campaign strategy was very similar in this regard. While he received the majority of votes in most of the Biggest states, he failed to win the smaller population states.

Mike, Cincinnati, Ohio

The other answer to Kevin is that America is a democratic republic, not a democracy. Indeed, the Constitution guarantees American citizens that its states shall have republican forms of government, not democracies. Historically, the individual States were what mattered, not the Federal Government. The Federal Government didn't become the 200-ton behemoth that it is today until FDR trampled over the Constitution with the New Deal and the rise of the Administrative state. The Electoral College assures that the person who ultimately ends up President appeals to states throughout the country, and doesn't simply focus on the the major metropolitan areas.

States are free to divide their electoral votes how they see fit. All but 2 choose to do a winner-take-all system. Nebraska and Maine divide theirs up by Congressional District, with the two votes representing the senators going to the statewide winner.

Ben, Omaha, NE, USA

To answer Kevin jay's question: Each State has the same number of Electorial College votes as they have Representatives & Senators in Congress. There are two Senators for each State & the number of Representatives are distributed based on population. IE: California, Texas & New York have more electorial votes than Wyoming or Idaho because they are more populated.
It is intended to protect those States who have almost no voice from being overpowered by the masses . In other words, a candiate could focus only on helping those in metropolitan areas, where they could get the most votes, but it would be at the expense of all those who live in rural areas.
40% of our population lives in just six states. An electorial college makes the canditate campaign for votes everywhere.

kurt d, charlotte, north carolina

The constitutional qualifications mentioned at the beginning is sadly incomplete as it fails to mention that a President must be a 'natural born citizen'.

For example California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger would be the hands down Republican choice in 2008 except that he was born in Austria, and therefore ineligible to hold the office of President.

Lucky for the Democrats, as Arnold would easily beat them all. And no other Republican is likely to do so.

William King, Reno, Nevada, USA

For the amateur spectator of american politics, this still doesn't explain what a primary is.

Perhaps a glossary would help.

Bruce Conway, Brentwood Bay, CA

Why can't you simply have a "one person, one vote" system where each individual vote counts.
The nation goes to the polls on a given day and you count the votes for each candidate...The best man or woman wins. voilà!

Kevin jay price, Alès, France

You should also note that it's totally unheard of for electors not to vote as they pledged. Suggesting otherwise would be rather like including the royal veto in the English legislative process.

John, Mississippi,

As an American Government teacher, please let your readers know that in order to be president you must be a native born citizen. A naturalized citizen (think Arnold) may not run for that office.

Deborah Mellon, Huntington, USA/New York