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Briefly explain how the Electoral College works. What do you think of the Electoral College? Does it serve any useful function? Does it need to be scrapped? Check out some Electoral College websites and explain what supporters and detractors have to say. If you think we need an alternative, what would you recommend?
The Electoral College is the process by which the United States elects its president. Instead of a direct popular vote, citizens vote for a slate of electors in their state. The number of electors each state gets is equal to its number of representatives in the House of Representatives plus its two senators. With the exception of Maine and Nebraska, all states award all of their electoral votes to the candidate who wins the popular vote in that state. A candidate needs a majority of the total 538 electoral votes (at least 270) to win the presidency.
Supporters of the Electoral College argue that it serves a vital function in a large, diverse country.
Promotes National Unity: It forces presidential candidates to build broad coalitions and campaign in different states, rather than focusing only on densely populated areas. This prevents a candidate from winning the presidency by only appealing to voters in a few major cities.
Gives a Voice to Smaller States: It ensures that smaller, less populated states are not ignored in presidential elections. Without it, candidates would have little incentive to campaign in states with small populations.
Historical Precedent: It was established by the Founding Fathers as a compromise between a popular vote and a vote in Congress.
Detractors, on the other hand, argue that the system is undemocratic and should be scrapped.
Undemocratic: The most common criticism is that the Electoral College can lead to a president who did not win the national popular vote. This has happened five times in U.S. history, most recently in 2000 and 2016.
Disenfranchises Voters: In states where one party is dominant, voters from the minority party may feel that their vote does not matter, as their state's electoral votes are already a foregone conclusion.
Focus on Swing States: It encourages candidates to focus their time, money, and attention on a small number of "swing states" while ignoring the rest of the country.
The Electoral College, while a product of historical compromise, no longer serves its intended purpose effectively. It can lead to a result that is out of sync with the will of the people and has become a source of division and political frustration. The argument that it gives a voice to smaller states is flawed; instead, it gives disproportionate power to a few swing states, regardless of their size.
If an alternative were to be considered, I would recommend a National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. This is not an amendment but an agreement among states to award their electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the national popular vote, regardless of their state's individual result. The compact would not abolish the Electoral College but would effectively render it a formality, as it would ensure the winner of the popular vote becomes president. This approach would maintain the constitutional framework while addressing the core democratic deficit of the current system.