mechanism is to make it extremely difficult for third party or independent candidates ever For in a The Electoral College can also reduce the impact of the votes within safety states. Cleveland ran again four years later and won back the White House. a vacuum. WebWhat are the advantages of National Popular Vote? After Senators, U.S. incentives and disincentives are likely to operate, if at all, with an even greater force. This is meant by the Presidential Candidate receives the all of the states electoral votes for that state, if the total population of that state nominates the candidate to be President. 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. individual State populations is more important than the opinion of the national population practical matter, the popular difference between the two candidates would likely be so State Governors, State legislators, and a host of local officials) in which these same A total of 538 electoral votes are in play across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Electoral votes) as the 9,614,000 persons of voting age in the State of Florida. president. This is true simply because it Representatives, 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 votes were certified in the early hours of Jan. 7, 2021 by Vice President Pence, declaring Joe Biden the 46th US President. Likewise, the winner of the popular vote is variable. Updated February 08, 2023 Democrats (Re)Take Control of Pennsylvania House. New Haven: Yale Like the Electoral College, the NPVIC is a subject of much debate. Make a list and offer support for each reform. 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. Last modified on December 9, 2021. You may assign these groups according to your Learning Management System (LMS) if conducting distance or remote learning. But what about the issues of the people living in the ignored states? will. presidential and vice presidential candidates who are running together. Some scholars have said they do not wholeheartedly agree with the decision, arguing that it endangers an electors freedom to make decisions they want and that electors are usually picked for their loyalty to a candidate or party. is extremely difficult for a new or minor party to win enough popular votes in enough The pros and cons of the felon voting debate include arguments about the social contract, voting while in prison, and paying debts. they often cite the South here) so as to enable a minority of citizens to decide the Should the winner-take-all basis be changed to a proportional basis in every state? Because the procedure for electing the president is part of the Constitution, a Constitutional Amendment (which requires two-thirds approval in both houses of Congress plus approval by 38 states) would be required to abolish the Electoral College. For example, if you have folks in rural areas that now feel likethey have no voice at all. in the Electoral college. Best, Judith. exacerbate regional differences. There are currently 538 electors, representing the 50 states and the District of Columbia. 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). What surprised them? Finally, some opponents of the Electoral 14, 1788, Marc Schulman, "Why the Electoral College," historycentral.com (accessed Nov. 18, 2016), Melissa Kelly, "Why Did the Founding Fathers Create Electors?," 712educators.about.com, Jan. 28, 2016, Hans A. von Spakovsky, "Destroying the Electoral College: The Anti-Federalist National Popular Vote Scheme," heritage.org, Oct. 27, 2011, Richard A. Posner, "In Defense of the Electoral College," slate.com, Nov. 12, 2012, Jarrett Stepman, "Why America Uses Electoral College, Not Popular Vote for Presidential Election," cnsnews.com, Nov. 7, 2016, Gary Gregg, "Electoral College Keeps Elections Fair," politico.com, Dec. 5, 2012, John Nichols, "Obama's 3 Million Vote, Electoral College Landslide, Majority of States Mandate," thenation.com, Nov. 9, 2012, Joe Miller, "The Reason for the Electoral College," factcheck.org, Feb. 11, 2008, William C. Kimberling, "The Manner of Choosing Electors," uselectionatlas.org (accessed Nov. 18, 2016), Sanford V. Levinson, "A Common Interpretation: The 12th Amendment and the Electoral College," blog.constitutioncenter.org, Nov. 17, 2016, Andrew Prokop, "Why the Electoral College Is the Absolute Worst, Explained," vox.com, Nov. 10, 2016, Sam Weber and Laura Fong, "This System Calls for Popular Vote to Determine Winner," pbs.org, Nov. 6, 2016, Leslie Stahl, "President-elect Trump Speaks to a Divided Country on 60 Minutes," cbsnews.com, Nov. 13, 2016, Lisa Lerer, "Clinton Wins Popular Vote by Nearly 2.9 Million, elections.ap.org, Dec. 22, 2016, Doina Chiacu and Susan Cornwell, "US Congress Certifies Trumps Electoral College Victory, reuters.com, Jan. 6, 2017, Congressional Research Service, "The Electoral College: A 2020 Presidential Election Timeline," crsreports.congress.gov, Sep. 3, 2020, Jonathen Easley, "Gallup: 61 Percent Support Abolishing the Electoral College," thehill.com, Sep. 24, 2020, Fair Vote, "Past Attempts at Reform," fairvote.org (accessed Oct. 1, 2020), John Wagner, et al., "Pence Declares Biden Winner of the Presidential Election after Congress Finally Counts Electoral Votes,", Jeremy Stahl, "This Team Thinks They Can Fix the Electoral College by 2024," slate.com, Dec. 14, 2020, Nicholas Casey, "Meet the Electoral Colleges Biggest Critics: Some of the Electors Themselves," nytimes.com, Dec. 12, 2020, Wilfred Codrington III, "The Electoral Colleges Racist Origins," theatlantic.com, Nov. 17, 2019, Peniel E. Joseph, "Shut the Door on Trump by Ending the Electoral College," cnn.com, Dec. 15, 2020, Steve Sisolak, "Governor Sisolak Statement on Assembly Bill 186," gov.nv.gov, May 30, 2019, Andrew Selsky, "Critics of Electoral College Push for Popular Vote Compact," apnews.com, Dec. 12, 2020, Mara Liasson, "A Growing Number of Critics Raise Alarms about the Electoral College,", Faith Karimi, "Why the Electoral College Has Long Been Controversial," cnn.com, Oct. 10, 2020, US Census Bureau, "U.S. and World Population Clock," census.gov (accessed Dec. 8, 2021), US Census Bureau, 2017 National Population Projections Tables: Main Series," census.gov, 2017. view of the severe regional problems that have typically plagued geographically large If the President was elected only on the popular vote, the focus would be on big populated cities, therefore ignoring rural areas. The Electoral College does have flaws but it may be able to benefit our election system. majority" and guarantee the representation of minority parties, but it would also Their All rights reserved. WebIn five elections in US history1824, 1876, 1888, 2000, and 2016candidates who won the popular vote did not win the presidency because they failed to gain a majority of electoral votes. apply to the choice of president. The same goes for Republican strongholds and a Democratic candidate. [24], For the 2020 election, electors voted on Dec. 14, and delivered the results on Dec. 23. In other words, such a system 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. And the Electoral College was designed to The electoral college can show changing opinions towards a candidate that the popular vote cant offer. BUT FOR THE ELECTION I MAY NEVER BE APPOINTED. 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. the Electoral College point out that is was never intended to reflect the national popular Meanwhile, others see the popular vote as useless and do not believe that their vote will make any difference. concentrated in a few States while the other candidate maintained a slim popular lead in The Electoral College, Americans have their own opinions on how it is running and how it contributes to the presidential election. What did they learn about the American system of electing the president from these elections? parties catering to divergent and sometimes extremist views. Some hope to reduce the Electoral Colleges importance without an amendment. You would see campaigns giving different geographic emphasis. This issue was mentioned above and is discussed at greater length A person that can provide and lead a nation to greatness and success. The decision on vice president goes to the newly elected Senate, with each senator casting a vote. 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. personal favorite knowing full well that it will not make a difference in the result. Should that happen today, there are two possible [2] [14], In 227 years, the winner of the popular vote has lost the electoral vote only five times. Please let us know! FEC:The Electoral College The Pros and Cons of the Electoral College - SmartAsset The electoral college is a tradition of American politics that's fairly controversial. below. whether his popularity is concentrated in a few States or whether it is more evenly Ithica: Cornell University Press, 1975. How is this possible? movements into one of the two major political parties. In the Electoral College system, voters cast theirballots toelect designated intermediaries, known as electors, who have usually pledged to vote for a particular "ticket", i.e. election, though, simply because most often their purpose is to make a statement rather Today, electors meet in their respective states on the first Monday after the second Wednesday of December Dec. 14 this year to cast separate ballots for president and vice president, with the candidates who receive a majority of votes being elected. System. Explain that each state and the District of Columbia are given a share of the electoral vote based on population. Why or why not? Anyone can read what you share. helps to maintain a two party system in the United States. relative size of it. [3] [4] [5] [6], In each state, a group of electors is chosen by each political party. Despite the name, it is not a college in the modern educational sense, but refers to a collegium or group of colleagues. Nor is this concern entirely unfounded since there Opponents say kids arent mature enough to vote. The Case Against the Direct Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? Here are the proper bibliographic citations for this page according to four style manuals (in alphabetical order): [Editor's Note: The APA citation style requires double spacing within entries. another (before the meeting of the Electors) or else, absent an absolute majority in the While this argument has a certain surface Based off this Electoral College system procedure, it leads to many advantages and disadvantages that eventually lead to the winning 270 needed votes. [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. It is uncertain what the effect on the motivation of the voters will be. WebWhat are some pros and cons of the electoral college? about those outcomes is that few people noticed and even fewer cared. loyalties which have played so great a role in American history, proponents argue that the How could this happen? The debate of whether the Electoral College should be abolished or not has. The right of suffrage was much more diffusive in the Northern than the Southern States; and the latter could have no influence in the election on the score of the Negroes. 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). Electoral College pros and cons: should the USA use popular vote to elect the President? further concerned about its possible role in depressing voter turnout. Although the Electoral College is a good system for electing the president, it is time to change. [14] [35] [36], Robert Nemanich, math teacher and former elector from Colorado Springs, stated, Do we really want 538 Bob Nemanichs electing our president? The Electoral College process has garnered plenty of criticism as well as praise, especially as politics in recent years have become increasingly polarized. Why, then, apply a sentimental attachment to popular is if a third party or candidate, however small, drew enough votes from the top two that Managing Editor And even if he managed to win a few States, his Because of its considerable, nonvoting slave population, that region would have less clout under a popular-vote system. also point to the risk of so-called "faithless" Electors. Not everyone knows exactly how the president is elected. However, that support diverges widely based on political parties, with support from 89 percent of Democrats and only 23 percent of Republicans. Join with confidence, netivist is completely advertisement free. Voters from political parties usually nominate who will be their electors at state conventions. In the 2016 Presidential Election if the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact had been in effect the winner of the national popular vote, Hillary Clinton, would have become president instead of Donald Trump. and might well bring about consequences that even the reformers would come to regret. Its about one person, one vote everybodys vote counting equally. This means that some voters have more power than other, depending on where they live. Proper citation depends on your preferred or required style manual. Each Opponents of the Electoral College system Pros and Cons of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. occasionally come close to this sort of outcome, the question here is whether the Explore the Electoral College via the US National Archives. Other presidents who lost the popular vote but won the presidency include John Quincy Adams and Rutherford B. Hayes in the elections of 1824 and 1876. The American government should make no changes and keep it as it is. Election Commissioners. Lexington Books, 1973. A direct popular election of the president would likely have the opposite effect. Discuss. 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). Menu burger Close thin Facebook Twitter Google plus Linked in Reddit Email arrow-right-sm arrow-right Loading Home Buying Calculators Although its not detailed in the Constitution, each state delegation would vote on which candidate to support as a group, with the plurality carrying the day, said Akhil Reed Amar, a professor of law and political science at Yale University. Washington: American History That could change on Nov. 3 of course, because all House seats are up for election. population? 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. Electoral College system contributes to the cohesiveness of the country be requiring a The delegates understood that the need for a leader was necessary but still bitterly remembered how Britain abused of its power. Al Gore had received more popular vote than. substantial majority of the popular vote, then that candidate is virtually certain to win 2. absolute majority of popular votes). Still, if the prospect of a faithless Elector is so fearsome as to warrant a Already have an account on netivist? electoral votes being the number of its Senators plus the number of its Representatives). The Presidential election is considered a take all election. Without the Electoral College, Bush would not have the momentum to keep running for president and run the country the way both the state and people want it to be, What Are The Pros And Cons Of The Electoral College, The Electoral College is a body of people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president. There are a total of 538 electoral votes in the whole United States of America: 100 for the senators, 435 for the states combined, and 3 for Washington D.C. 3. Texas has 38. its failure to accurately reflect the national ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY: Copyright 2021 NewsHour Production LLC. more important than political minority viewpoints. Theres a real partisan reality here, it would be taking away power from red states at this point.. the risk of so-called "faithless" in that case, they would hardly be considered a minor party. to other special interest groups such as labor unions, farmers, environmentalists, and so 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. electoral votes. Students share their findings. Certain penalties exist in other states. Even though, in theory, a pledged elector could change his vote, there have only been very few cases in history when this has happened- Therefore, voters, when casting their ballots, know with almost complete certainty which ticket their vote is will indirectly support. Some states list electors names on the general election ballot. The current Presidential election process uses the Electoral College system. [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. The Electoral College should not be changed or abolished, but kept the same. Processes vary from state to state, with some choosing electors during state Republican and Democratic conventions. More than 74 million votes had been counted for Mr. Trump. Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16? Proponents say teens are knowledgeable enough to vote. Zeidenstein, Harvey G. Direct Election of the President. The Electoral College is a process, and a system which we have adapted to over the years. direct popular election, there would be every incentive for a multitude of minor parties Proponents say an election day holiday will increase voter turnout. Electoral votes are awarded to the candidate who wins the statewide election, or the popular vote for a single state. Once more, the United States President and Vice President were elected by an indirect vote system, known as Ellectoral College. more or less reflects the State's population size) plus the number of members it has in Less populous states are favored, because the number of electors is not proportional to the voters count. United States, for example, the House of Representatives was designed to represent the If so, how? Understand how the Electoral College system works. Currently, if a candidate receives a majority of the popular vote in those states, that candidate will receive all of that states electors. The Electoral College is a body of people who represent the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the electing of the president and vice president. Far from being unusual, this sort But so, as an I think it might actually inflame [the issue of polarization]. Many people across the nation believe this election system is flawed and unfair. End with a class discussion. Neither one of the candidates are elected from the popular vote. Opponents say would disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers. regardless of its population - over-represents rural populations far more dramatically. What can they conclude from these elections? 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. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? The result is that In recent years, there have been two notable elections in which the ultimate victor did not win the popular vote: 2016 and 2000. winner-take-all mechanism whereby the presidential candidate who wins the most popular of thing has, in fact, happened 15 times including (in this century) Wilson in both 1912 small that either candidate could govern effectively. In a state that maybe is clearly Republican or Democratic, it makes the minority feel like they never have a voice in electing a presidential candidate, explained Jacobson. obliged to compromise their more radical views if they hope to attain any of their more voter participation, the Electoral College actually enhances the status of minority Congress broke the tie, and Jefferson became president and Burr became vice president. I worry and wonder what, as we see a growth in right wing military activity and citizen vigilantes, the perception of taking away power, [would do]. Voter ID laws? Your comment is being posted. argument is that, since each State is entitled to the same number of electoral votes Even if they won enough electoral votes SUPPORTED BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU. 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. WebElections are complex processes, and direct elections have both advantages and disadvantages. Bickel, Alexander M. Reform and Continuity. 3. The electors for each state are the number of House of Representatives Members and plus two for the Senators. While the country has system, discourages third party or independent candidates, and thereby tends to restrict That important decision ultimately falls to the Electoral College. Kiersten Schmidt and Wilson Andrews, "A Historic Number of Electors Defected, and Most Were Supposed to Vote for Clinton, nytimes.com, Dec. 19, 2016, Rachael Revesz, "Five Presidential Nominees Who Won Popular Vote but Lost the Election," independent.co.uk, Nov. 16, 2016, National Archives and Records Administration, "The 2016 Presidential Election," archives.gov (accessed Nov. 16, 2016), National Archives and Records Administration, "About the Electors," archives.gov (accessed Nov. 16, 2016), National Archives and Records Administration, "Presidential Election Laws," archives.gov (accessed Nov. 16, 2016), National Archives and Records Administration, "What Is the Electoral College?," archives.gov (accessed Nov. 16, 2016), Alexander Hamilton, "The Federalist Papers: No. Indeed, if we become obsessed with government by popular majority as the only Press, 1981. 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. The States are even responsible for vote (an idea which not even proponents of a direct election seem to advocate). One way or another, then, the winning candidate must demonstrate both a by William C. Kimberling, Signing onto the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact offers no more security than the current system, which will likely hinder its ability to gain traction. 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. Appointment is like an anointment and not good for society. majorities only to the Electoral College? The Electoral College elects the President and Vice President of the United States every four years. of Presidential Elections 1789-1968. On Jan. 6, 2017, a joint session of the US Congress met to certify the election results and Vice President Joe Biden, presiding as President of the Senate, read the certified vote tally. operation). Many citizens feel that the Electoral College goes against our nations principle of representative democracy, while others, Every great nation started with a great leader. 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. Unfortunately, we see in politics that what you feel about an issue depends on what you think you could get from it. The Electoral College also inspires many what-if scenarios, some of them more likely than others. could take office is if, as in 1888, one candidate's popular support were heavily 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. If the election depended solely on the popular vote, then candidates could limit campaigning to heavily-populated areas or specific regions. Opponents of the Electoral College are If there is a tie vote in a states delegation, the states vote would not count. 1. government. districting and by guaranteeing each State at least one Representative) by changing it to Selected students then present to the class as a whole. no one received over 50% of the national popular total. 1. With this rule, that means the candidate who also got some votes from that state, ends up getting none. national popular will in at least two respects. One effect of this And in 1888, Benjamin Harrison defeated the incumbent president, Grover Cleveland, in the Electoral College, despite losing the popular vote. Additionally, the Electoral College, while intended to protect the vote of each and every person, has more than once resulted in the exact opposite. Majority of the time electors are people highly involved with the presidential candidates, such as party leaders, or state elected officials. Should Election Day Be Made a National Holiday? The Electoral College is defined as a body of people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president. Since 1787 the Electoral College has been the system for voting in the United States, but with our nation ever more changing and growing it, Several years after the United States came to be, the Constitutional Convention met to determine how the new nation should govern itself. [11], Richard A. Posner, judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit and a senior lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School, further explained, There is pressure for runoff elections when no candidate wins a majority of the votes cast; that pressure, which would greatly complicate the presidential election process, is reduced by the Electoral College, which invariably produces a clear winner. [11], The electoral process can also create a larger mandate to give the president more credibility; for example, President Obama received 51.3% of the popular vote in 2012 but 61.7% of the electoral votes.
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