>Evan,
>
>>I think I described the "purpose". "Purpose" is defined by Websters as the intention or goal. What have described the "mandate" or "reqirement"... that being adherence to the US constitution.
>
>You perhaps described YOUR purpose, if you were the one setting up the election of the US President. I think you are stretching it tremendously to state the the purpose of this election was to elect the person that more people wanted. The framers of the Constitution had several purposes in mind, which resulted in the compromise that we know as the Electoral College.
>
>What can YOU quote to prove that the purpose is as you described?

"The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted;--the person having the greatest number of votes for President, shall be the President"

http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.amendmentxii.html