> the electoral system is grossly undemocratic and devised in large part as a protection for slave states

The electoral system is deliberately undemocratic and devised in large part as a protection for small states from large ones. It's a democratic system, just not a direct democratic system. Your votes do count.If you live in a winner-take-all-state and you don't like that you live in a winner-take-all-state, work to change that at the state level!

My personal view is that each state should have two electors chosen by the state legislatures (similar to how senators were chosen through 1912) and the rest popularly elected district-by-district. This preserves the federal character of the election without giving the illusion of disenfranchisement to anyone.