Wyoming Secretary Of State Defends Electoral College

Wyoming Secretary of State Ed Murray says the electoral college is important because it gives rural states like Wyoming "a strong voice" in charting the nation's future.

He says it's important to counter the influence of populous states such as California. He praises what he calls the "wisdom of our founders so long ago" in making sure "we do have that power."

Murray says the final presidential vote count in Wyoming shows Donald Trump received about 174,000 votes versus roughly 55,000 for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

But Clinton's popular vote total nationally was about 2.9 million higher than Trump's.

The 2016 election marks the fifth time a U.S. presidential candidate who won the popular vote has lost the election by virtue of the electoral college vote. The most recent time prior to this year was the 2000 presidential election when Al Gore defeated George W. Bush in the popular vote but lost the electoral college tally after Bush was declared the winner of Florida's disputed presidential vote.

Many Democrats have been voicing dissatisfaction with the electoral college in the wake of Trump's victory, arguing it is outdated and violates the fundamental ideals on which the nation was founded.