Four presidential elections had now been held under the method provided by the Constitution. 此时，根据宪法提供的方法已经举行了四次总统选举，

　　And that method had not worked well. 但是这个方法操作起来不太理想。

　　It was now (1804) changed by the adoption of the Twelfth Amendment which is still in force. 这时（1804年）通过《第十二条修正案》对这个方法做了修改，修改后的方法一直延续到今天。

　　The old machinery of presidential electors was kept. 这个修正保有了原有的总统候选人选举机制，

　　But it was provided that in the future each elector should vote for President and for Vice-President on separate and distinct ballots. 但规定所有的选举人必须分别在不同的票箱投票选举总统和副总统。

　　The voters had no more part in the election under the new system than they had had under the old system. 比之旧的选举制度，新制度使得普通投票者不再有那么多职责。

　　The old method of apportioning electors among the states was also kept. 过去在各个州分配选举人的方法被保留下来，

　　This gives to each state as many electors as it has Senators and Representatives in Congress. 这使得各个州的选民如同在国会两院中的人数一样多，

　　No matter how small its territory, or how small its population, a state has at least two Senators and one Representative, and, therefore, three electors. 无论一个州多么小，无论它的人口有多少，至少这个州有两个参议员和一个众议院议员，因此，至少有三个人是选举人。

　　The result is that each voter in a small state has more influence in choosing the President than each voter in a large state. 结果，在选总统时小州的选举人比之大州的选举人更有影响，

　　Indeed, several Presidents have been elected by minorities of the voters of the country as a whole. 实际上，迄今为止（截止到1900年），有数次总统的选举结果都是被整个国家中的少数派所决定的。

　　246. Reelection of Jefferson, 1804. 246．杰斐逊再次当选（1804年）

　　Jefferson's first administration had been most successful. 杰斐逊的第一届政府已经是当时最成功的政府，

　　The Republicans had repealed many unpopular laws. 共和党废止了许多不受欢迎的法律，

　　By the purchase of Louisiana the area of the United States had been doubled and an end put to the dispute as to the navigation of the Mississippi. 通过购买路易斯安那美国领土面积翻倍，而且还结束了关于密西西比河航运的争端；

　　The expenses of the national government had been cut down, and a portion of the national debt had been paid. 国民政府的开支被削减，还偿还了部分国债，

　　The people were prosperous and happy. 人民变得富裕且幸福。

　　Under these circumstances Jefferson was triumphantly reelected. 在这种情况下杰斐逊成功地连任，

　　He received one hundred and sixty-two electoral votes to only fourteen for his Federalist rival. 他得到162张选票，而他的联邦党对手仅仅得到14票。