text: One reason is when you vote for your president your acually voting for the presidents elector. So basically your not voting fot a president your votng for a elector that votes for you. After the election the government prepares a "certificate of ascertainment" a certificate of ascertainment is a listing of all the candidates who ran for president along with the names of there electors. The certificate of ascertainment also declares the winning president and which electors will represent your state at the meeting of the elector in december of election year.