Final answer:
The Electoral College was created as a safeguard against direct democracy, aiming to ensure small states' representation in presidential elections. The ongoing debate pits the value of this protective mechanism against the principle of direct popular vote, which may more accurately reflect the will of the electorate at large.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Electoral College was established as a compromise by the founders at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 to prevent tyranny of the majority and to protect the interests of smaller states in presidential elections. The debate on whether to maintain the Electoral College or switch to a popular vote continues to this day. Supporters of the Electoral College argue it ensures that less populous states have a voice, whereas critics argue it can lead to a misrepresentation of the popular will, as evidenced when a candidate wins the presidency without the majority of the popular vote.
One key purpose of the Electoral College is to protect the representative power of small states and less densely populated regions. Its defenders argue that without the Electoral College, these areas might be overlooked in favor of more populous urban areas. However, opponents of the Electoral College feel that it is outdated and that a direct election of the president would be a more democratic process that reflects the direct will of the voters.