Editing Republic (section)

=== Elections ===
In [[democracy|democracies]], presidents are elected, either directly by the people or indirectly by a parliament or council. Typically in presidential and semi-presidential systems the president is directly elected by the people or is indirectly elected as done in the United States. In that country, the president is officially elected by an [[United States Electoral College |electoral college]], chosen by the States. All U.S. States have chosen electors by popular election since 1832. The indirect election of the president through the electoral college conforms to the concept of the republic as one with a system of indirect election. In the opinion of some, direct election confers [[Legitimacy (political science)|legitimacy]] upon the president and gives the office much of its political power.<ref>"Presidential Systems" ''Governments of the World: A Global Guide to Citizens' Rights and Responsibilities''. Ed. C. Neal Tate. Vol. 4. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2006. pp. 7–11.</ref> However, this concept of legitimacy differs from that expressed in the United States Constitution which established the legitimacy of the United States president as resulting from the signing of the Constitution by nine states.<ref>Article VII, Constitution of the United States</ref> The idea that direct election is required for legitimacy also contradicts the spirit of the [[Connecticut Compromise|Great Compromise]], whose actual result was manifest in the clause<ref>Article II, Para 2, Constitution of the United States</ref> that provides voters in smaller states with more representation in presidential selection than those in large states; for example citizens of Wyoming in 2016 had 3.6 times as much electoral vote representation as citizens of [[California]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/william-petrocelli/its-time-to-end-the-electoral-college_b_12891764.html|title=Voters In Wyoming Have 3.6 Times The Voting Power That I Have. It's Time To End The Electoral College|first=William|last=Petrocelli|date=10 November 2016|website=huffingtonpost.com}}</ref>

In states with a parliamentary system, the president is usually elected by the parliament. This indirect election subordinates the president to the parliament, and also gives the president limited legitimacy and turns most presidential powers into [[reserve power]]s that can only be exercised under rare circumstances. There are exceptions where elected presidents have only ceremonial powers, such as in [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]].