Electoral College procedure compared to the past?

[tedzbear]

The way I understand it, today if the majority of a state's electoral votes goes to Kerry, then Kerry gets ALL of the electoral votes for that state applied in his favor.

Was it always like this? I am reading Gore Vidal's "Inventing A Nation" and he isn't really clear about this aspect. Instead he makes it sound like it was more democratic back then with the candidates keeping whatever electoral votes they earned in each state to be applied to the whole.

In fact, whoever came in second (regardless of party) became Vice President. Could you imagine THAT today?

[ogradda]

1. it's a majority of the states popular vote usually

a couple exceptions in a couple states i think.

[tedzbear]

2. KICK

I hope somebody answers this...

[tedzbear]

3. Never mind. I did my own research.

http://www.fec.gov/pages/ecmenu2.htm