I am a 61-year-old mother and grandmother who has participated in the election process since 1957 and every election thereafter. I would like to share with the American people my knowledge and interpretation of the (national) electoral system in our country.

We have two kinds of elections for which we vote for senators: members of the House of Representatives, president and vice president. Elections can be either direct or indirect.

A direct election is one in which the voters vote for the candidates who are running for office from their state. Senators and members of the House of Representatives are elected by direct elections. Primary elections are direct elections, whereas the voters vote for their candidates for senator, member of the House of Representatives and president to represent the Democrat and the Republican parties.

An indirect election is one in which the voters vote for representatives (Electoral College) who will then vote for the candidates who are running for president and vice president of the United States. The president and vice president are elected by indirect elections through the Electoral College.

When a person votes on Election Day, he or she does not vote directly for president and vice president. Instead, he or she casts a vote for a group of state electors who have promised to vote for the candidate of the voters’ choice. Each state is allowed as many electors as it has members of both houses of Congress. Maine has four.

If the president and vice president were chosen by popular vote only, it could destroy our two-party system as we know it today. In our country there are more registered Democratic voters than Republican. If by popular vote alone, the Democratic Party could possibly win all presidential elections. Would this mean a one-party system? Would all voices be heard? Would your vote count?

We must not allow changes in our Constitution regarding our electoral system as some have suggested. The system set up by our forefathers works. Anna E. Scott Southwest Harbor