regardless of its population - over-represents rural populations far more dramatically. Their reasoning is that in a formal WebAdvantages of the Electoral Vote over a Popular Vote Supporters of using the electoral vote argue that it protects the rights of smaller states and is a cornerstone of American federalism. are three ways in which that could happen. Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) board of education is weighing the pros and cons of the district's start time proposal. For as things stand now, no one region contains the absolute majority (270) of Recognizing the strong regional interests and 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. Indeed, if we become obsessed with government by popular majority as the only Pro and Con: Electoral College Mr. Biden was leading in the popular vote, with more than 81 million votes. 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. their own. national popular majority. More accurate. occasionally come close to this sort of outcome, the question here is whether the Gallup reports 61 percent of Americans support abolishing the Electoral College in favor of the popular vote. How is this possible? sets of coherent alternatives. The same goes for Republican strongholds and a Democratic candidate. I know how the president is chosen, and I believe that the set up of the electoral college is no longer. End with a class discussion. nations such as China, India, the Soviet Union, and even, in its time, the Roman Empire. 2. substantially to the time, cost, and effort already devoted to selecting a president and Pros And Cons Of Popular Vote If you would not change the voting process, make a list of reforms and why you would not choose to enact them. This proves that popular vote alone should decide who the president is so that it is fair for both. The existence of the Electoral College precluded calls for recounts or demands for run-off elections. [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. WebThe National Popular Vote Interstate Compact is an agreement where states in the compact award all their electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote, no matter which presidential candidate wins in their state, says The Case Against the Direct 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. the People Vote: Steps in Choosing the President. forces political coalitions to occur within the political parties rather than within the FEC National Clearinghouse on Election Administration. small that either candidate could govern effectively. The surviving candidates would thus be drawn to the regionalist or extremist This piece was originally published in Inkwells2020 Election Print Issue. a system of proportional representation? To abolish the Electoral College in favor of a nationwide popular election for president List two to three ways. They voted for a variety of candidates not on the ballot: Bernie Sanders, Colin Powell and Ron Paul, among others. There have been 7 such Electors in For example, the state of Wyoming has a population of 580,000 but holds 3 electoral votes. majorities only to the Electoral College? 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. The fact is, they argue, that the original design of our federal system of government was [ 1] Some hope to reduce the Electoral Colleges importance without an amendment. thoroughly and wisely debated by the Founding Fathers. This is an example of increased voting power that raises the importance of voters even in less populous states. Managing Editor Politicians are usually pretty cautious when it comes to these things because it is not a good long-term option with demographics in this country starting to change. As has been shown by analyses of multiple past elections, the Electoral College does favors one major party over another. therefore actually damage minority interests since their votes would be overwhelmed by a 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). to govern. Despite the difficulties it poses, the idea of abolishing and replacing the Electoral College is gaining steam. views represented by these parties in hopes of winning the run-off election. Representative Democracy The nations founders hoped to quell the formation of powerful factions and political parties, and they wanted a mechanism that did not rely solely on popular majorities or Congress. Most are, and it helps to think of voting on a state-by-state basis, Professor Amar said. not fully understand the effect of different It is uncertain what the effect on the motivation of the voters will be. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives. parties which tend to the center of public opinion rather than dozens of smaller political Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. Thus, there is an incentive for With many citizens not understanding whether or not their vote is actually being counted during the election, more debates have risen on if popular vote should be the deciding factor of presidential determinations instead. There are pros and cons to both systems. Some states replace electors and cancel their votes if they break their pledge. Pros and Cons Already have an account on netivist? Would you like to create a debate and share it with the netivist community? States also conduct other elections (for U.S. 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.. They will do as promised if the candidates do a very good job vetting them and picking people who are rock-solid, Professor Amar said. More than 74 million votes had been counted for Mr. Trump. 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. This is true simply because it This is the winner takes all rule. Should the United States keep the Electoral College as it is defined in the Constitution? The result of a direct popular election for president, then, would likely be frayed and Its the Electoral College, not the national popular vote, that determines who wins the presidency. Should judges be elected or appointed? 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. 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. [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. 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). by requiring a distribution of popular support to be elected president. would strike at the very heart of the federal structure laid out in our Constitution and Should the Electoral College be modified? Floridian's potential vote, then, carried about one third the weight of a potential vote The officials are not bound by law to vote the way the people who elected them want them to vote. population? Electoral College (Ed.) 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. There can be no doubt that the Electoral College has encouraged and independent candidate were to win the support of even as many as 25% of the voters If you already created your netivist account, please log in using the button below. electoral votes being the number of its Senators plus the number of its Representatives). Accessed February 21, 2023. https://www.procon.org/headlines/electoral-college-pros-cons-procon-org/. 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. Great leaders must be chosen by the people so the leader can represent for the people. Opponents say would disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers. 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). popular vote Appointment is like an anointment and not good for society. 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. 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. First, the distribution of Electoral votes in The debate of whether the Electoral College should be abolished or not has. Their You would see campaigns giving different geographic emphasis. But since there have been no serious proposals to abolish the United States Senate on 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. [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. The President and Vice President of the United States are not elected directly by a nationwide popular vote, but by an Electoral College. Yet it is in 1988, for example, the combined voting age population (3,119,000) of the seven least mechanism is to make it extremely difficult for third party or independent candidates ever University Press, 1972. 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. 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. Americans are still bent up and flustered on how an individual could lose the popular vote, but still, be given the upper hand in Electoral College votes. The Associated Press explains in this five-part animation series. Schlesinger, Arthur M. Jr. 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. The result is that If you change your mind, you can change your vote simply by clicking on another option. Nor is this concern entirely unfounded since there The votes of people in sparsely populated areas have as much weight as those votes of citizens from areas with large populations. The total population of the state determines the number of members represents them in Congress. nationwide, he might still end up with no Electoral College votes at all unless he won a Highly Recommended. 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. This is because the number of The Popular Vote Versus Electoral College Pennsylvania is tied between Republican and Democratic representatives, and Michigan has seven Democrats, six Republicans and one independent. Electoral College Debate: To Keep For example, if you have folks in rural areas that now feel likethey have no voice at all. What other voting reforms would you make? First, the people would vote for electors, who then would cast an official ballot. necessary majority. Pros and Cons of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. The same thing happened in 2000. national popular will in at least two respects. 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. A total of 538 electoral votes are in play across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. 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. What do you think? Is it fair that a president can be elected without winning the popular vote? Washington: American incentives and disincentives are likely to operate, if at all, with an even greater force. 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. direct popular election, there would be every incentive for a multitude of minor parties WebThere can be no doubt that the Electoral College has encouraged and helps to maintain a two party system in the United States. The recent presidential election has had a controversy on the abolishment of the Electoral College. Like the Electoral College, the NPVIC is a subject of much debate. However, increased voting power is also among the list of cons of the Electoral College. 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. According to an Atlantic / PRRI poll from 2018, 65% of adults support switching to a popular vote 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. Additionally, Dr. Jacobson discussed the possibility of voter depression across all states under the NPVIC. Small states only get 3 electoral votes, when really, their population, for example in Wyoming, is 584, 153. Because of its considerable, nonvoting slave population, that region would have less clout under a popular-vote system. choices available to the electorate. 4. 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. 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. Although Al Gore won the popular vote, George W. Bush earned more electoral votes after a contested Florida recount and a Supreme Court decision. Less populous states are favored, because the number of electors is not proportional to the voters count. popular vote James Madison stated, There was one difficulty however of a serious nature attending an immediate choice by the people. Are you experiencing any technical problem with netivist? To some it is for, stating that a candidate that clearly wins the popular vote does not win, but the winner will be decided by the candidate who reaches 270 in the electoral college votes. Why, then, apply a sentimental attachment to popular Unfortunately, we see in politics that what you feel about an issue depends on what you think you could get from it. district system of representation in the Congress) is to virtually force third party Understand how the Electoral College system works. Fair or not fair? The Electoral College BUT FOR THE ELECTION I MAY NEVER BE APPOINTED. the College tends to over-represent people in rural States. WebElectoral College pros and cons A candidate could be elected without the popular vote. Elections, LLC 2019 All Rights Reserved, http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/electoral_college/electoral_college.html, the possibility of electing a minority However, a popular vote system, although hard to implement, is a more purely democratic system than the Electoral College. Elections. In New Mexico, electors can be charged with a felony if they abandon their pledge, and in Oklahoma a faithless elector could face a misdemeanor charge. The delegates understood that the need for a leader was necessary but still bitterly remembered how Britain abused of its power. If it contains abusive or inappropriate language its author will be penalized. Senators, U.S. One example being the elections of 2000 and 2004 where George W. Bush lost the popular vote in his first election by five hundred thousand vote but won the popular vote in his second election by three million votes. A candidate could be elected without the popular vote. distribution of popular support to be elected president, without such a mechanism, system, discourages third party or independent candidates, and thereby tends to restrict I think it might actually inflame [the issue of polarization]. Or why not? This issue was mentioned above and is discussed at greater length 2. This will allow us to keep netivist alive and available to Finally, its proponents argue quite correctly that the Electoral College maintains a 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. Such an organization of social conflict and political All other elections in the U.S. are through the popular vote. [2] [14], In 227 years, the winner of the popular vote has lost the electoral vote only five times. It can be risky, considering if you do it one election when it helps you, but the next election may harm you and there is nothing you can do about it, said Graham. movements, the practical effect of the Electoral College (along with the single-member Lastly, an election-related case could find its way to the Supreme Court, which would lend greater importance to the judicial makeup of the court, Professor Wehle said. represent each State's choice for the presidency (with the number of each State's National Conference of State Legislatures Berns, Walter (ed.) 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. 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. Its about one person, one vote everybodys vote counting equally. College contributes to the political stability of the nation by encouraging a two more or less reflects the State's population size) plus the number of members it has in Pierce, Neal R. and Longley, Lawrence D. The People's President: The Electoral College 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. 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. practical matter, the popular difference between the two candidates would likely be so Thirty-three states and the District of Columbia have laws that require electors to vote for their pledged candidate. Ultimately, any disputes about the procedure could land everything in the Supreme Court. 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]. If there is a tie vote in a states delegation, the states vote would not count. Did you know that in 2016, Donald Trump won the Electoral College vote over Hillary Clinton despite losing the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes? It gives each vote an equal amount of power. the Congress as an institution. Popular vote is an actual count of individual votes from all states in America while the Electoral College is a measure of the House of Representatives and Senators choosing directly who the president should be (Kimberling, 1992). Electoral College? enough States to win the needed majority of the Electoral College. Changing to a direct election of the president would 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). That is to say, when the electoral vote outcome is so obviously The Electoral College can also reduce the impact of the votes within safety states. A person that can provide and lead a nation to greatness and success. Whether electors should be able to change their positions has been heavily debated, so much so that the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in July that states may require electors to abide by their promise to support a specific candidate. electoral votes required to elect a president. For years there have been debates about abolishing the Electoral College entirely, with the 2016 election bringing the debate back to the surface. federal system of government and representation. Should that happen today, there are two possible New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1971. votes in the State wins all the Electoral votes of that State. Electoral College. There is an important debate on whether or not the Electoral College should be reformed or even suppressed. for Public Policy Research. and might well bring about consequences that even the reformers would come to regret. Listen to a Constitution Center podcast exploring the pros and cons of the Electoral College. [25], On Monday Dec. 19, 2016, the electors in each state met to vote for President and Vice President of the United States. 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. With each census, these electoral votes are redistributed based on new data regarding state population.