Additionally, the Electoral College, while intended to protect the vote of each and every person, has more than once resulted in the exact opposite. Like the Electoral College, the NPVIC is a subject of much debate. You would imagine [candidates] paying attention to where most people are living, because now thats how theyll get the most votes. Conversely, the major parties have There is too much politicizing in the courts now, and that is a shame. Constitutional amendment, then it is possible to solve the problem without abolishing the Yet this is less of a problem than it seems since, as a the National Popular Vote Interstate This would happen in the extremely unlikely situation where this candidate would win just for one vote in some selected states and zero votes in the rest of the states. An election based only on popular vote would centralize the election and decrease the visibility and importance of states. Theres a real partisan reality here, it would be taking away power from red states at this point.. is extremely difficult for a new or minor party to win enough popular votes in enough The Electoral College is the voting system the United States has adopted to choose the president, the individual who runs the country. The States are even responsible for Its how many sets you win and not how many games or points you win. The conclusion taken away from this very definition is that the people of the United States are not really the ones responsible for electing the president. Pros: No winner-take all. And the collective opinion of the What can they conclude from these elections? Pros and Cons Despite the difficulties it poses, the idea of abolishing and replacing the Electoral College is gaining steam. If you are new to netivist, please create your account for free and start collecting your netivist points! Youre not going to convince a majority of Americans that thats not how you should do it. [33], John Koza, Chairman of National Popular Vote, warned, At this point I think changing the system to something better is going to determine whether theres a dictator in this country. [27]. Prevents disputed outcomes ensuring a peaceful transition of power Reduces the costs of national presidential campaigns. choices available to the electorate. will. popular will. without introducing a presidential run-off election -- a procedure which would add How could this happen? The electors for each state are the number of House of Representatives Members and plus two for the Senators. The Electoral College is the system in place that has historically determined the winner of the presidential election. the event the country is so divided that no one obtains an absolute majority of electoral The Electoral College is a process, and a system which we have adapted to over the years. For example, the state of Wyoming has a population of 580,000 but holds 3 electoral votes. WebThe Debate Today. If you would not change the voting process, make a list of reforms and why you would not choose to enact them. The Electoral College was born at the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. This will allow us to keep netivist alive and available to Most are, and it helps to think of voting on a state-by-state basis, Professor Amar said. A second way in which a minority president More accurate. vote (an idea which not even proponents of a direct election seem to advocate). In other words, such a system instead of the other way around. A Highly Recommended. 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). be elected is if the country were so deeply divided politically that three or more One effect of this support outweighs whatever sentimental value may attach to obtaining a bare majority of The only remarkable thing The Electoral College does have flaws but it may be able to benefit our election system. Table. substantial majority of the popular vote, then that candidate is virtually certain to win popular vote 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. unstable political system characterized by a multitude of political parties and by more The same thing happened in 2000. This outdated Electoral College system ought to be removed for a popular vote system since it is arbitrary based on residence, leads campaigns to only appeal to certain groups, and the vote is not directly cast by the people, all leading to decreased voter turnout. personal favorite knowing full well that it will not make a difference in the result. going to be for one candidate or the other, an occasional Elector casts a vote for some The House of Representatives picked Adams over Andrew Jackson, who won the popular vote but only a plurality of the Electoral College. National Conference of State Legislatures New Haven: Yale University Proposals for Revision of the Electoral College The popular vote is the majority of voters, vote for one of the Presidential Candidates. of thing has, in fact, happened 15 times including (in this century) Wilson in both 1912 Its just like in tennis, he said. While Gore won the popular vote by about half a million in 2000, Hillary Clinton won it by nearly three million in 2016. Essays in Elections The Electoral College. States also conduct other elections (for U.S. argument is that, since each State is entitled to the same number of electoral votes necessary majority. That is to say, when the electoral vote outcome is so obviously 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. 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. Sayre, Wallace Stanley, Voting for President. Electoral College, the U.S. House of Representatives would select the president in Students may work individually or in small groups. One can see its importance in the fact that despite Hillary Clintons national popular vote total, she won only about a sixth of the counties nationwide, with her support limited mostly to urban areas on both coasts. [34], If the election were based on popular vote, it would be possible for a candidate to receive the highest number of popular votes without actually obtaining a majority. The Electoral College also inspires many what-if scenarios, some of them more likely than others. You would see campaigns giving different geographic emphasis. The Electoral College has also awarded the presidency to candidates with a plurality of the popular vote (under 50 percent) in a number of cases, notably Abraham Lincoln in 1860, John F. Kennedy in 1960 and Bill Clinton in 1992 and 1996. Last modified on December 9, 2021. region over the others or through the domination of large metropolitan areas over the attempted in 1948 and again in 1968. State viewpoints, they decided, are Indeed, there may even be an incentive to discourage participation (and It did not change the outcome. A third way of electing a minority president This is an example of increased voting power that raises the importance of voters even in less populous states. Electoral College system contributes to the cohesiveness of the country be requiring a [ 1] in American History and the Direct-Vote Alternative. Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? President Trump had earned 232 electoral votes. As of 2020, the state with the largest number of votes is California, with 55 electoral votes. WebWhat are the advantages of National Popular Vote? Press, 1981. Indeed, they point out that the Electoral College system is designed to Thirty-three states and the District of Columbia have laws that require electors to vote for their pledged candidate. Opponents say would disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers. Far from being unusual, this sort As of 2020, it has garnered 196 (73% of the requirement) electoral votes and has been adopted by 15 states and the District of Columbia. Mukunda stated, The fact that in presidential elections people in Wyoming have [nearly four] times the power of people in California is antithetical at the most basic level to what we say we stand for as a democracy. [33], The minority interests the Founding Fathers intended the Electoral College to protect were those of slaveowners and states with legal slavery. Electoral College Debate: To Keep Nor is this concern entirely unfounded since there In all states but Maine and Nebraska, the winner of each state will take all of that states electoral votes. Graham discusses one potential benefit of the NPVIC: In states like California, where in almost every case all of the Electoral votes will go to the Democratic Party, what reason does a Republican candidate have to visit there (regardless of the large number of Republicans that reside there)? Electoral Vote vs Popular Vote These electors are responsible to make a final decision on who will be president, their vote is the deciding final vote. majorities in the States. [3] [4] [5] [6], At least 700 amendments have been proposed to modify or abolish the Electoral College. Explain that each state and the District of Columbia are given a share of the electoral vote based on population. Win popular vote in the state, you get two electoral votes. Yes, and that is what happened in 2016: Although Hillary Clinton won the national popular vote by almost three million votes, Donald Trump garnered almost 57 percent of the electoral votes, enough to win the presidency. for Public Policy Research. Without the electoral college, groups such as Iowa farmers and Ohio factory workers would be ignored in favor of pandering to metropolitan areas with higher population densities, leaving rural areas and small towns marginalized. I know how the president is chosen, and I believe that the set up of the electoral college is no longer. Their reasoning is that in a formal Human Services Updated February 21, 2023 Please let us know! On Dec. 14, as electors gathered across the country to cast their ballots, Joseph R. Biden Jr. had earned 306 electoral votes, 36 more than needed to win. their own. This type of system would give the individual voter a much more significant influence. The Constitution should not be amended to abolish the Electoral College. a wide audience and to keep on introducing new debates and features to improve your experience. Zeidenstein, Harvey G. Direct Election of the President. Indeed, if we become obsessed with government by popular majority as the only 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. Washington: 1969. [11] [12] [13], Tina Mulally, South Dakota Representative, stated that the Electoral College protects small state and minority interests and that a national popular vote would be like two wolves and a sheep deciding whats for dinner. Mulally introduced a resolution passed by South Dakotas legislature that reads, The current Electoral College system creates a needed balance between rural and urban interests and ensures that the winning candidate has support from multiple regions of the country. [32], The Founding Fathers wanted to balance the will of the populace against the risk of tyranny of the majority, in which the voices of the masses can drown out minority interests. 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. government. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives. president. [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. Have your students learn more about the results of one of the following 19th century presidential elections: 1800, 1824, 1836, 1872, 1876, or 1888. the Electoral College point out that is was never intended to reflect the national popular Inkwell Copyright 2023 FLEX WordPress Theme by SNO Log in, Dr. Robin Jacobson, professor and chair of politics and government at University of Puget Sound, said. Fairness: This compact would rightfully ensure that the candidate who receives the most votes wins, just as in any other election in the country and unlike in 2000 and 2016. Best, Judith. Some people believe that their vote has all the power in the world when it comes to the presidential election, because they have no knowledge or understanding of how the Electoral College works. nominees are inclined to select vice presidential running mates from a region other than Your vote is anonymous. People should have more power to vote for their president to have their vote count towards determining the winner. federal system of government and representation. You might be seeing people throw up their hands and say, what does one vote in the whole country matter?, Robinson also described a potential outcome of increased polarization. Its about one person, one vote everybodys vote counting equally. distribution of a candidate's popular support should be taken into account alongside the Also, for mainly the smaller states, the candidate the people want to win might not win because of the low affect towards the final decision. 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. Should that happen today, there are two possible National Conference of State Legislatures Chicago, Illinois 60654 USA, Natalie Leppard about those outcomes is that few people noticed and even fewer cared. Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, 1983. President Joe Biden was inaugurated with Vice President Kamala Harris on Jan. 20, 2021. The direct consequence of using an Electoral College and a winner-take-all basis in most states is that a presidential candidate can be elected to the office without winning the popular vote, as it happened in the previous four occasions, more recently in 2000 when George W. Bush defeated Al Gore. I AM AN ELECTED JUDGE. Vote to see result and collect 1 XP. fails to accurately reflect the national popular will stems primarily from the Texas has 38. After students have completed their handouts, have them debate the pros and cons of the Electoral College. If the president was determined on popular vote, people would actually think more about their vote more because they know that their votes count, The candidates running for president try to aim for the big states and the swing states, causing the swing states to have more power. contributes to the cohesiveness of the country Elections. In recent years, there have been two notable elections in which the ultimate victor did not win the popular vote: 2016 and 2000. Elections (2nd ed). This proves the system is working. Some states on the political map might say that its the right thing to do, to agree to go with the popular vote. Explore this article 1 It's Fair In a direct election, everyones vote counts for the same amount. It gives each vote an equal amount of power. List two to three ways. [25], On Monday Dec. 19, 2016, the electors in each state met to vote for President and Vice President of the United States. Theres a real partisan reality here, it would be taking away power from red states at this point.. Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) board of education is weighing the pros and cons of the district's start time proposal. If the election depended solely on the popular vote, then candidates could limit campaigning to heavily-populated areas or specific regions. the Electoral College Pros and Cons of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. Should we not correct the minor distortions in the House (caused by to be a positive virtue. 1. drawing the district lines for their House seats. University of Colorado Boulder Many American citizens do not know or do federal structure, important political powers are reserved to the component States. concentrated in a few States while the other candidate maintained a slim popular lead in They voted for a variety of candidates not on the ballot: Bernie Sanders, Colin Powell and Ron Paul, among others. loyalties which have played so great a role in American history, proponents argue that the Yet it is to form in an attempt to prevent whatever popular majority might be necessary to elect a Create your account for free. a vacuum. Proponents say an election day holiday will increase voter turnout. [18], A Nov. 6, 2016 episode of PBS NewsHour revealed that Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have made more than 90% of their campaign stops in just 11 so-called battleground states. Great leaders must be chosen by the people so the leader can represent for the people. Imagine you have been elected to the presidency and have the power to amend this portion of the constitution, which allows for the electoral college. [29] [30], There are over an estimated 332 million people in the United States, with population estimates predicting almost 342 million by 2024, the next presidential election. 29, 1961). Proponents further argue that the Electoral To do so would fundamentally alter the nature of our government PBS NewsHour Classroom There are many flaws for this system. The elected President gets a stronger winning image with the number of electors he gets than the reality of popular vote, which gives him more credibility to rule the country. plausibility, it fails to account for the fact that presidential elections do not occur in In response to these arguments, proponents of For in a The same thing happened in 2016, when Donald Trump won the electoral college vote over Hillary Clinton despite losing the popular vote to Clinton by nearly 3 million votes. You know, you get 100 million votes and somebody else gets 90 million votes and you win. Just as in 2000 when George W. Bush received fewer nationwide popular votes than Al Gore, Donald Trump served as the President of the United States despite being supported by fewer Americans than his opponent. 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). There are currently 538 electors, representing the 50 states and the District of Columbia. It is not fair for the other candidate because he or she also got some votes from that state. In order to win an election, a candidate must obtain 270 or more electoral votes, or around 50.2% of all votes. Pros national popular majority. The same goes for Republican strongholds and a Democratic candidate. In 2016, for instance, Democrat Hillary Clinton received nearly 2.9 million more votes than Trump in the presidential election, after racking up more lopsided wins in big states like New York and are three ways in which that could happen. 5. The group as a whole should help that student to prepare his or her argument. Some hope to reduce the Electoral Colleges importance without an amendment. Appointment is like an anointment and not good for society. would lead to the nationalization of our central government - to the detriment of the Additionally, Dr. Jacobson discussed the possibility of voter depression across all states under the NPVIC. of Presidential Elections 1789-1968. 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. Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming carried the same voting strength in the Electoral College (21 The American government should make no changes and keep it as it is. electoral votes. University Press, 1972. This unifying mechanism does not, however, come without a small price. would strike at the very heart of the federal structure laid out in our Constitution and substantially to the time, cost, and effort already devoted to selecting a president and president. The unlikely situation of one candidate dying or becoming legally disable around the time of the election would be better handle by the Electoral College, because electors can adapt to the situation and find a solution. 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. And the American citizens who live in territories like Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands are not represented by any electors. Electoral College Moreover, they suspected that the citizens would not educated themselves on candidates, and that citizens would not have enough information to make a good judgement. After However, this idea of redirecting the focus of campaigns is a double edged sword. Why does the system continue? The Electoral College comprises 538 electors; each state is allowed one elector for each Representative and Senator (DC is allowed 3 electors as established by the Twenty-Third Amendment). by requiring a distribution of popular support to be elected president. in that case, they would hardly be considered a minor party. the difference between winning all of that State's electoral votes or none of that State's If there is a tie vote in a states delegation, the states vote would not count. Opponents of the Electoral College are System. While its actual population makes up only 0.18% of the U.S. population, their electoral votes are 1.1% of all electoral votes. The current Presidential election process uses the Electoral College system. Other believe it is as flawed, if not less flawed, than any other system thought of. appointments are great but usually only represent the agenda of the one The substitution of electors obviated this difficulty and seemed on the whole to be liable to fewest objections. [29], As Wilfred Wilfred Codrington III, Assistant Professor at Brooklyn Law School and a fellow at the Brennan Center, explained, Behind Madisons statement were the stark facts: The populations in the North and South were approximately equal, but roughly one-third of those living in the South were held in bondage. Menu burger Close thin Facebook Twitter Google plus Linked in Reddit Email arrow-right-sm arrow-right Loading Home Buying Calculators Thus we end up with two large, pragmatic political The race between the two candidates is the first one to 270 electors because this is almost half of the total.

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