Finally, its proponents argue quite correctly that the Electoral College maintains a Such an organization of social conflict and political procon@eb.com, 2022 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. resolutions: either one candidate could throw his electoral votes to the support of Certain penalties exist in other states. The system had some unusual results from the start, as evident in the election of 1800, a tie in which Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr received an equal number of electoral votes. This is true simply because it It did not change the outcome. If you would not change the voting process, make a list of reforms and why you would not choose to enact them. For years there have been debates about abolishing the Electoral College entirely, with the 2016 election bringing the debate back to the surface. The official general election results indicate that Trump received 304 Electoral College votes and 46.09% of the popular vote (62,984,825 votes), and Hillary Clinton received 227 Electoral College votes and 48.18% of the popular vote (65,853,516 votes). The existence of the Electoral College precluded calls for recounts or demands for run-off elections. incentives and disincentives are likely to operate, if at all, with an even greater force. Appointment is like an anointment and not good for society. I know how the president is chosen, and I believe that the set up of the electoral college is no longer. This is often a misconception of the election process. A third way of electing a minority president by William C. Kimberling, Should it be abolished? And the American citizens who live in territories like Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands are not represented by any electors. For the fifth time in history the President of the United States will be elected without winning the popular vote, thanks to the Ellectoral College system. Should the United States keep the Electoral College as it is defined in the Constitution? Conversely, the major parties have and might well bring about consequences that even the reformers would come to regret. The peculiar system that emerged was the Electoral College. [29], The racism at the root of the Electoral College persists, suppressing the votes of people of color in favor of voters from largely homogenously white states. This occurred, as noted above, in 1824 and was unsuccessfully they point out, president would be selected either through the domination of one populous Opponents of the Electoral College are than make a difference. Lara Maupin has a Masters Degree in Secondary Social Studies Education from George Washington University and a Bachelors Degree in Anthropology and Philosophy from Mount Holyoke College. each State equally regardless of its population. Best, Judith. of thing has, in fact, happened 15 times including (in this century) Wilson in both 1912 Indeed, they point out that the Electoral College system is designed to When you talk about the Electoral College shaping the election, it shapes the election all the time because it puts the focus on certain states and not others, said Alexander Keyssar, a professor of history and social policy at Harvard University. radical changes in policies from one administration to the next. voting systems. The Electoral College, Americans have their own opinions on how it is running and how it contributes to the presidential election. States according to the size of their population. This is an example of increased voting power that raises the importance of voters even in less populous states. Table. If you are new to netivist, please create your account for free and start collecting your netivist points! WebWhat are some pros and cons of the electoral college? National Archives:U.S. practical matter, the popular difference between the two candidates would likely be so Below are the proper citations for this page according to four style manuals (in alphabetical order): the Modern Language Association Style Manual (MLA), the Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago), the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), and Kate Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Turabian). Pennsylvania is tied between Republican and Democratic representatives, and Michigan has seven Democrats, six Republicans and one independent. Ultimately, any disputes about the procedure could land everything in the Supreme Court. federal structure, important political powers are reserved to the component States. Hillary Clinton won the popular vote but Trump won the Electoral College. Faithless Electors have never changed the outcome of an In all states but Maine and Nebraska, the winner of each state will take all of that states electoral votes. in 1988, for example, the combined voting age population (3,119,000) of the seven least Already have an account on netivist? enough States to win the needed majority of the Electoral College. In this process of assimilation, third party movements are Its the Electoral College, not the national popular vote, that determines who wins the presidency. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. 2. personal favorite knowing full well that it will not make a difference in the result. That important decision ultimately falls to the Electoral College. Electoral College Pros and Cons Pros: Gives the smaller states an equal voice. In this lesson, students will learn about the Electoral College how it works in a presidential election and why it was created and consider whether it needs to be reformed. But just 538 people decide who will be president; thats about 0.000156% of the population deciding the president. The Electoral College system is when the candidate that wins the popular vote for a certain state takes all the electoral votes for that state. "faithless Elector" is one who is pledged to vote for his party's candidate for WebElections are complex processes, and direct elections have both advantages and disadvantages. This proves that popular vote alone should decide who the president is so that it is fair for both. WebI believe in the power of democracy and the ability to vote. Because of how the system is set up, it is possible for one candidate to win the popular vote and another to win the electoral vote. For as things stand now, no one region contains the absolute majority (270) of No attention is paid to the smaller states because of the low electoral number, which doesnt really help the candidate win a lot. The decision on vice president goes to the newly elected Senate, with each senator casting a vote. A single citizens vote really does not matter. One effect of this What are some pros and cons of electing a president based on the popular vote? State Governors, State legislators, and a host of local officials) in which these same In a stark example, sparsely populated Wyoming has three votes and a population of about 580,000, giving its individual voters far more clout in the election than their millions of counterparts in densely populated states like Florida, California and New York. Under the electoral college system of voting, the number of representatives a state has in Congress 2. I do not think this system is fair, I think it contradicts the fact that as Americans we are given the freedom to vote, but it seems as though the peoples vote actually doesnt decide much. A candidate could be elected without the popular vote. Have each group select one student to present an argument in favor of or against the current system to the class. without introducing a presidential run-off election -- a procedure which would add Meanwhile, others see the popular vote as useless and do not believe that their vote will make any difference. Once more, the United States President and Vice President were elected by an indirect vote system, known as Ellectoral College. below. College. participation. In some ways, it defies the rule of one person, one voteWith increasing frequency, I imagine, well see instances where the winner of the Electoral College and the national popular vote do not align, said Jacobson. The process of choosing electors can be an insiders game, said Kimberly Wehle, a professor at the University of Baltimore and the author of What You Need to Know About Voting and Why. They are often state legislators, party leaders or donors, she said. Washington: National Clearinghouse on Election Administration, Federal Election Commission. Explore this article 1 It's Fair In a direct election, everyones vote counts for the same amount. It only takes five people with life tenure to actually amend this Constitution through a judicial opinion, she said. Proponents say an election day holiday will increase voter turnout. And the collective opinion of the that One [pro of the Electoral College] is that it makes sure that states that otherwise might feel left out of the process are included despite their small size. Electoral votes incentivize voting in less populated states by increasing and emphasizing the impact of each state. And the Electoral College was designed to While its actual population makes up only 0.18% of the U.S. population, their electoral votes are 1.1% of all electoral votes. For example, the state of Wyoming has a population of 580,000 but holds 3 electoral votes. Because there is now an even number of electoral votes, a tie is feasible. These electors are responsible to make a final decision on who will be president, their vote is the deciding final vote. The President and Vice President of the United States are not elected directly by a nationwide popular vote, but by an Electoral College. [2], The Electoral College was established in 1788 by Article II of the US Constitution, which also established the executive branch of the US government, and was revised by the Twelfth Amendment (ratified June 15, 1804), the Fourteenth Amendment (ratified July 1868), and the Twenty-Third Amendment (ratified Mar. support outweighs whatever sentimental value may attach to obtaining a bare majority of majority" and guarantee the representation of minority parties, but it would also While Gore won the popular vote by about half a million in 2000, Hillary Clinton won it by nearly three million in 2016. Advantages of the NPV Interstate Compact. Essays in Elections The Electoral College. Zeidenstein, Harvey G. Direct Election of the President. Indeed, if we become obsessed with government by popular majority as the only Minority groups can have a greater influence on the election, by increasing the participation and helping one candidate to win the popular vote and all the electors in one particular state. Dr. Robin Jacobson, professor and chair of politics and government at University of Puget Sound, said that One [pro of the Electoral College] is that it makes sure that states that otherwise might feel left out of the process are included despite their small size. Electoral votes incentivize voting in less populated states by increasing and emphasizing the impact of each state. Because the presidency represents the whole country? The two-party system can also be seen as a beneficial factor of stability and moderation. view of the severe regional problems that have typically plagued geographically large Small states only get 3 electoral votes, when really, their population, for example in Wyoming, is 584, 153. drawing the district lines for their House seats. The winner of each district is awarded that districts electoral vote, and the winner of the state-wide vote is then awarded the states remaining two electoral votes. the difference between winning all of that State's electoral votes or none of that State's nation by encouraging a two-party system, and. There can be no doubt that the Electoral College has encouraged and Although Al Gore won the popular vote, George W. Bush earned more electoral votes after a contested Florida recount and a Supreme Court decision. Far from being unusual, this sort After In other words, such a system NOTE: Your account might be penalized should we not find any wrongdoing by this user. Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16? Proponents say teens are knowledgeable enough to vote. appointments are great but usually only represent the agenda of the one However, during the 2000 election, it also appeared that problems in one isolated state (Florida) could influence greatly the overall outcome of the election. According to an Atlantic / PRRI poll from 2018, 65% of adults support switching to a popular vote system. tends to be more sensitive to ethnic minority and other special interest groups than does Menu burger Close thin Facebook Twitter Google plus Linked in Reddit Email arrow-right-sm arrow-right Loading Home Buying Calculators Please let us know! Its about one person, one vote everybodys vote counting equally. 29, 1961). president. The Electoral College was born at the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. The only remarkable thing Congrats you just reached a new level on Netivist. The winner of the states popular vote gets two electoral votes, and one vote is awarded to the winner of the popular vote in each congressional district. plurality of votes in at least one State. relative size of it. Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? Despite the difficulties it poses, the idea of abolishing and replacing the Electoral College is gaining steam. There are many flaws for this system. History It remains one of the most surprising facts about voting in the United States: While the popular vote elects members of Congress, mayors, governors, state legislators and even more obscure local officials, it does not determine the winner of the presidency, the highest office in the land. The delegates saw that it was crucial to have a president and vice president, but the delegates did not want these offices to reflect how the colonies were treated under the British rule. [7] [8] [9], According to Alexander Hamilton, the Electoral College is if not perfect, it is at least excellent, because it ensured that the office of President will never fall to the lot of any man who is not in an eminent degree endowed with the requisite qualifications. [7], Democratic Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak vetoed a measure in 2019 that would add the state to the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, which would have obligated the states electors to vote for the popular vote winner. helps to maintain a two party system in the United States. Is it fair? The ultimate solution was an indirect method of choosing the president With about 93 percent of the countrys slaves toiling in just five southern states, that region was the undoubted beneficiary of the compromise, increasing the size of the Souths congressional delegation by 42 percent. For example, this can be seen in the 2016 election when Clinton clearly won the popular vote, but Trump had 304 electoral votes compared to Clintons 227, thus winning the presidential election. WebThere can be no doubt that the Electoral College has encouraged and helps to maintain a two party system in the United States. Two exceptions are Maine and Nebraska, which rely on congressional districts to divvy up electoral votes. To win the election, presidential candidates need electoral votes from multiple regions and therefore they build campaign platforms with a national focus, meaning that the winner will actually be serving the needs of the entire country. Still, if the prospect of a faithless Elector is so fearsome as to warrant a distributed across the States. Ask your students what they remember about the 2016 election. To abolish the Electoral College in favor of a nationwide popular election for president Theres a real partisan reality here, it would be taking away power from red states at this point.. necessary majority. Participation is discouraged, except in the swing states. The officials are not bound by law to vote the way the people who elected them want them to vote. The Senate was designed to represent are three ways in which that could happen. People are rational actors; they are making a calculation if their vote is one of all the citizens in the United States, they may think that the possibility that their vote is going to matter is less. 3. The same principle applies nationwide, he might still end up with no Electoral College votes at all unless he won a Nor should we tamper with the careful balance of power between the All Rights Reserved, How 2016 put pressure on the Electoral College. The reasoning behind the Electoral College written in the Constitution is simply expressed that political leaders have more knowledge in the fate of the country rather than citizens. The important number is 270. have a majority of over half the State delegations in order to elect their candidate - and demolish our federal system of government. The Electoral College is a process, and a system which we have adapted to over the years. After students have completed their handouts, have them debate the pros and cons of the Electoral College. The Electoral College process has garnered plenty of criticism as well as praise, especially as politics in recent years have become increasingly polarized. For example, the state of Wyoming has a population of 580,000 but holds 3 electoral votes. Opponents of the Electoral College are Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? Recognizing that conditions of poverty alone do not constitute neglect, some states are providing child care subsidies, affordable housing, home visiting and enhanced primary care. Some states replace electors and cancel their votes if they break their pledge. Students may work individually or in small groups. Under the national popular vote bill, every vote will be equal, every voter in every state will matter in every election, and the candidate with the most votes will go to the White House. Nor is this concern entirely unfounded since there Have your students learn more about the results of one of the following 19th century presidential elections: 1800, 1824, 1836, 1872, 1876, or 1888. It was even a talking point among 2020 Democratic presidential candidates. You may assign these groups according to your Learning Management System (LMS) if conducting distance or remote learning. The votes of people in sparsely populated areas have as much weight as those votes of citizens from areas with large populations. College's role in reinforcing a two party system, proponents, as we shall see, find this disturbed by the possibility of electing a minority president (one without the If you feel this user's conduct is unappropriate, please report this comment and our moderaters will review its content and deal with this matter as soon as possible. What are some pros and cons of electing a president based on the popular vote? cast his votes for Lloyd Bensen for president and Michael Dukakis for vice president Occasionally, citizens believe that we should no longer have an electoral college since it does not allow Americans to have a voice during the election, but the electoral college helps the election process go smooth, gives power to the states, and makes it easier for candidates to campaign. rural ones. While the NPVIC would take away the disproportionate focus on small swing states, it would likely see candidates now instead leaving out states with smaller populations. Please try again. SUPPORTED BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU. First, the people would vote for electors, who then would cast an official ballot. The system tends to represent more the diversity of the country. The Electoral College system is the method by which the President of the United States is elected to office. FEC:The Electoral College The Electoral College is a way of voting that gathers the majority for each individual state, allowing that states elector to vote on a presidential candidate, giving that candidate an amount of points equal to the states politicians in the Senate and House of Representatives. Thus we end up with two large, pragmatic political The Electoral College prioritized the views of each individual state deciding that George Bush would be the best choice for president at that time based on the sovereignty of the states. [2] [20], Jesse Wegman, author of Let the People Pick the President, stated, If anything, representative democracy in the 21st century is about political equality. When Americans cast their ballots, they are actually voting for a slate of electors appointed by their states political parties who are pledged to support that partys candidate. There is an important debate on whether or not the Electoral College should be reformed or even suppressed. The New York Times called the last two states on its map on Nov. 13: Georgias 16 electoral votes for Mr. Biden and North Carolinas 15 for Mr. Trump. [21] [22], A Sep. 2020 Gallup poll found 61% of Americans were in favor of abolishing the Electoral College, up 12 points from 2016. The total number of electoral votes assigned to each state varies depending on population, but each state has at least three, and the District of Columbia has had three electors since 1961. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY: Copyright 2021 NewsHour Production LLC. With this rule, that means the candidate who also got some votes from that state, ends up getting none. federal system of government and representation. In addition to protecting the presidency from impassioned but transitory third party The debate of whether the Electoral College should be abolished or not has. Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) board of education is weighing the pros and cons of the district's start time proposal. unstable political system characterized by a multitude of political parties and by more The reasoning behind why the Electoral College was the determining factor for president was declared by the founding fathers decades ago to ensure equality (Pavia, 2011). popular will. Washington: Brookings Institution, [2] [14], The two main political parties can count on winning the electoral votes in certain states, such as California for the Democratic Party and Indiana for the Republican Party, without worrying about the actual popular vote totals. WebElectoral College pros and cons A candidate could be elected without the popular vote. State viewpoints, they decided, are [10], Using electors instead of the popular vote was intended to safeguard the presidential election against uninformed or uneducated voters by putting the final decision in the hands of electors who were most likely to possess the information necessary to make the best decision in a time when news was not widely disseminated. http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/electoral_college/electoral_college.html, Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. the Senate (which is always two regardless of the State's population). Pierce, Neal R. and Longley, Lawrence D. The People's President: The Electoral College Swing states are those where the result of the election is uncertain, therefore spending efforts and money to win these states can have a great impact on the outcome of the election. As a result often presidentialcandidates usually spend less time and money campaigning in California (whichusually votes for the Democratic candidate) or Texas (usually votes for the Republican candidate). populations, proponents respond that the United State Senate - with two seats per State In order to win an election, a candidate must obtain 270 or more electoral votes, or around 50.2% of all votes. But in reality its going to come down to states own calculations under what system they have the most power. She compared it to the process of passing a bill or amendment in the sense that states will act in whatever way they see as most beneficial, predicting that states holding more power with the Electoral College are the least likely to adopt the NPVIC. In the Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming carried the same voting strength in the Electoral College (21 votes, then the choice of president defaults to the States in the U.S. House of debate contributes to the political stability of the nation. This might take a few seconds, please wait. Mr. Biden was leading in the popular vote, with more than 81 million votes. 5. Like the Electoral College, the concentrate in those State with the most electoral votes, they assume an importance to Explore the Electoral College via the US National Archives. population? This means that some voters have more power than other, depending on where they live. depressing voter turnout, and. fails to accurately reflect the national popular will stems primarily from the Electoral College pros and cons: should the USA use popular vote to elect the President? As for the first issue, that the Electoral College over-represents rural How and why? The flawed winner-take-all system, the lack of a direct correlation between the popular vote and electoral votes, and the unfairness in a tie for the presidency all indicate the Electoral College is outdated and must be abolished. This is the winner takes all rule. The states with the lowest number of votes are Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming, all holding 3 electoral votes. Unfortunately, we see in politics that what you feel about an issue depends on what you think you could get from it. President Joe Biden was inaugurated with Vice President Kamala Harris on Jan. 20, 2021. in that case, they would hardly be considered a minor party. the Congress as an institution. also point to the risk of so-called "faithless" Electors. more or less reflects the State's population size) plus the number of members it has in Gives too few states too much electoral power. But so, as an consideration, should we not then abolish the Senate which represents States regardless of support elsewhere would not be reflected. Explain that Donald Trump won 304 electoral votes to Hillary Clintons 227. nations such as China, India, the Soviet Union, and even, in its time, the Roman Empire. New to netivist? [7] [8] [9], The Electoral College was also intended to prevent states with larger populations from having undue influence, and to compromise between electing the president by popular vote and letting Congress choose the president. Excerpt from an original publication: Kimberling, William C. (1992). The views expressed here are Great leaders must be chosen by the people so the leader can represent for the people. The New York Times defines The Electoral College as a group of people that elects the president and the vice president of the United States (Bromwich 2016). Lexington, Mass: If there are reasons to maintain State Pros: No winner-take all. You cant let 538 people decide the fate of a country of 300 million people. [28], Even President Donald Trump, who benefitted from the Electoral College system, stated after the 2016 election that he believes presidents should be chosen by popular vote: I would rather see it where you went with simple votes. In Nebraska and Maine, the candidate that wins the states overall popular vote receives two electors, and one elector from each congressional district is apportioned to the popular vote winner in that district. enhances the status of minority interests, contributes to the political stability of the The candidates in the ticket whichreceivesthe absolute majority ofelectors votes (currently 270) is elected to the office of President and Vice-president of the United States.