In a national election based on plurality, the West Coast states could go 80% for one candidate, while the rest of the nation goes 55% for another. The candidate favored only on the West Coast would win a plurality but yet have only a plurality win you break down by state in California, Washington, and Oregon.

This was potentially more of a problem than it is today, as the founding fathers didn't anticipate the development of a two party system that we have today. Imagine if we had had (or we develop) a multiparty system? If we had 4 parties, with one dominant on the West Coast and the Northeast, one in the middle of the nation, another popular among religious conservatives, another strong in the South, then the religious conservatives could potentially generate a 30% national vote and take the election, while being the majority of vote in no state.