I think that the reason we so often see the California vs . Wyoming comparison is because California is the most populous state and Wyoming is the least , and so this comparison produces the most extreme results in terms of difference in voting power . Obviously , it is also not fair for a vote in DC or Vermont to count for as much as it does either . While I agree that FPTP is the major problem , the EC sets up a system which tends to amplify all of the problems with FPTP by breaking down the election into 51 individual races , each with the FPTP winnertakeall methodology . Winning a state 5149 is no different than winning it 7525 under the system , when clearly these two different scenarios represent very different attitudes about the candidates in the electorate . In a way , you can argue that this system throws away every vote past the 50 % mark . You can make an argument about voting as states versus voting as people , but you should keep in mind that all states have their own governments as well with more decentralized power than in many other western nations . At the national level , the senate gives every state the same representation , which benefits smaller states over larger ones in terms of representatives per person . It seems that the smaller states get quite a bit of an advantage over larger ones in the electoral process , and I think we need to take a good hard look at the system and see if we are just avoiding the problem of majority rule by instituting minority rule in its place .