Age old US voting question. Why not have a popular vote?

There is a very good reason why not. That is because it is about representation. People are represented in the House of Representatives. That is supposed to be their only representation to the federal government. The also have representation at the State and local levels. The presidential election is the only election where we use the Electoral College. That is because the President is to represent the Union. That is why its member states elect the president it a proxy vote we have come to know as the Electoral College. There are enough people in Los Angles, New York and Chicago to always elect their choice for president. Why would a state join a union like that? This not a Democracy it is a Republic. The main reason it is a Republic is that at the time the Second Continental Congress was convened all previous Democracies had failed. There was never any intention for people to vote for a president. States can use any method chosen by the State Legislature to choose their Electors. The answer in short is the president represents the union and the state (members of that union) elect its representative known as President of the United States. The president presides over the union. The Senate represents States. Members of the House of Representatives represent people.

People are too stupid to be trusted with things like that. Nah, not really. :)

Well most of the time it is. The electorate is based off of the popular vote. We have an electoral college for the sake of fairness. Some states don't have the population to compete with others. It is used to spread the power and peoples voices around more instead of it being concentrated in the high density areas.

Read the Constitution and get to know it and you have your answer that is correct.

the better too control and manipulate and rig the outcome.against what People really want.