[Magdalen] Stupid question

[Grace Cangialosi]

I feel very ignorant in asking this, but I wonder if someone can explain to me--or point me to a source--why we don't elect by popular vote?  Why can't they just add up all the votes in the primaries and declare the winners in each party based on the totals?
Then do the same with the general election--the one with the most votes wins. Then you wouldn't have the ridiculous situation we had with Bush-Gore.  And wouldn't that be likely to bring out more voters, since they would feel their vote actually counted?

I'm sure there is some historical reason, and it may even be a good one, but I don't know what it is...