Nate Silver on Science Friday yesterday! Listen!

[babsbunny]

http://sciencefriday.com/playlist/#play/segment/8943

Feeling a little overwhelmed by all the presidential polls? A neuroscientist and statistician talk about how to make sense of the election -- and why not all votes are created equal.

[longship]

1. Grabbed it last night.

It is interesting. Highly recommended.

[GulleyJimson]

2. Brings up the notion that

the electoral college is too powerful and election should be based on popular vote... like the rest of the world.

[GulleyJimson]

3. I was mistaken

Here's the long(?) list of countries with a similar system;

Other countries with electoral college systems include

Burundi,
Estonia,
India,
France (for the French Senate),
the Republic of Ireland (for Seanad Éireann upper house of parliament),
Kazakhstan,
Madagascar,
Pakistan,
Trinidad and Tobago,
Vanuatu.

Within China,.......Hong Kong has an Election Committee which functions as an electoral college for selecting the Chief Executive and formerly (in the case of Hong Kong) for selecting some of the seats of the Legislative Council.