I don't claim it would have changed the election. It may have but who knows?
But the electoral college created this whole red state/blue state thing. If we had popular vote elections that would largely go away. Campaigns would have to go to places like California, Texas and NY which for the last 30 years have been a no mans land in national elections. It creates this separation that doesn't really exist. NYS has a large number of Republicans. More than in most of the midwest states. But because the cities are democrat, they know their votes don't matter. Texas has a large number of democrats who feel the exact same way.
So millions of people are left out of the process. It wouldn't make small states votes count less than big states. It would make sure every vote counted in exactly the same way.
Instead of red and blue states, we'd have red and blue population centers. Land in America would be meaningless during election season (or 1.5 out of every 4 years). Eventually (read as 12 years after this changeover), many would congregate to the cities that offer a "conservative" or "progressive" way of life. Politicians would then need to go to both areas, and just promise a whole lot of things. Likely different things to each group, but the core demographic for those candidates would need to be promised how living where they do will get better should that person be elected.
With electoral college, where you live exactly doesn't matter, as being in rural place is equal to being in heavily populated place.
Anyway, I'm in the current conservative movement that wishes to retain the constitutional electoral college, and am resisting of those who wish to go to popular vote as means of determine POTUS. If I were a betting person, the soonest I see that having a good chance is around 2028. Though I'd hedge that bet with "never will happen" and hope I'd be able to collect on that every 4 years for rest of my life. I'd let my great great great grandchildren know this is a way you don't have to work and you can collect money on it, forever.
