Should the electoral college system

be abolished?

How exactly does the electoral college system work?

http://www.theguardian.
com/world/video/2012/sep/28/us-electoralcollege-explained

How Does it Work?

When you vote for a presidential candidate, you are voting for her/his
electors
538 Electors = total #Senators + total #Representatives (DC=3)
Candidate needs 270 electoral college votes to win
Each party has slate of electors - when we vote, we are
actually choosing which slate of electors will get to cast vote in EC
48 states have winner-take-all system (ME, NB)
50.1% electors vote for a candidate in a particular state=
100% of electoral college votes allotted to that state
If neither hits 270, the House of Rep decides, but each state
gets 1 vote (simple majority wins)

Who are These People?

Party loyalists (state officials, party leaders, personal
connection to candidate)
Cannot be a US Senator or Representative

How Are They Selected?

Generally, political parties nominate electors at the state
party convention
often considered a thank you for supporting the party

Why did the framers design the presidential election

process in this manner?
Federalist 68: Re: Creating Electoral College (James Madison)
It was equally desirable, that the immediate election should be made by men
most capable of analyzing the qualities adapted to the station, and acting under
circumstances favorable to deliberation, and to a judicious combination of all
the reasons and inducements which were proper to govern their choice. A small
number of persons, selected by their fellow-citizens from the general mass, will
be most likely to possess the information and discernment requisite to such
complicated investigations.

Why did the framers design the presidential election process in this
manner?
Lack of confidence in voters: distrust of the excesses of democracy
Congress selecting president would give Congress too much power
Popular election would give too much voting power to highly
populated areas
small states would be displeased - focus on state sovereignty
slaveholding class would be given disproportionate power due
to clause
Compromise
Electoral College: Voters vote for electors, electors vote for president

Criticisms of the Electoral College System

1. It is inherently undemocratic (does not correspond to the one
person, one vote ideal)
- Since every state has 2 Senators no matter what its population, the
small states have more electoral votes per person in the state than
larger states do (gives small states numeric advantage since the
smallest number of electoral votes is 3)
ie. In California, each elector = approx 650,000 voters (per district)
In Wyoming, each elector = approx 165,000 voters (per district)

Criticisms of the Electoral College System

2. It is possible for a presidential candidate to WIN the POPULAR
vote and LOSE the ELECTORAL COLLEGE vote (and vice versa)
ie. a candidate could win 11 states and lose all of the other 39
In 1876 (Hayes), 1888 (Harrison) and 2000 (Bush), the President
who won DID NOT win popular vote!!
2000: George Bush won 271 electoral votes but lost popular vote
by -500,000 votes.

3. It gives swing states

disproportionate influence
-

candidates ignore all but a few states

discourages turnout in non-swing states

These maps show the amount of attention

given to each state by the Bush and Kerry
campaigns during the final five weeks of the
2004 election. At the top, each waving hand
represents a visit from a presidential or vicepresidential candidate during the final five
weeks. At the bottom, each dollar sign
represents one million dollars spent on TV
advertising by the campaigns during the same
time period.

Defenders of Electoral College say:

Gives small states extra power (otherwise the interests of small
states would be dominated by those of large states)
- doesnt allow a regional president (no one region has enough EC votes so
candidate must appeal more broadly)
Attention to swing states may make them the best, most informed
voters
Others?

Lets take a vote:

1)

Bernie vs. Trump for president

2)

The death penalty should be abolished in all 50 states.

Popular Vote?

Real time electoral college map 2016

Support for popular vote:

As of 2007, 72% of all Americans support a
national popular vote in future presidential
elections.

National Popular Vote Interstate

Compact

Agreement among 10 states + DC to allocate their

states electors to the winner of the NATIONAL
popular vote (rather than the STATE popular vote)
So far those states make up 165 EC votes (61% of
270)
designed to ensure that the candidate who wins the
most votes nationwide is elected president
Would go into effect once states in compact
collectively represent at least 270 of the Electoral
College

Benefit: would reflect national distribution of votes

Drawback: very hard to pass in small states

Green = legislation in effect

Yellow = legislation pending
Gray = no proposed legislation

Option 2: Direct Vote with Plurality Rule

Abolish Electoral College System
Each person casts one vote nationally
Person with most votes wins, with majority OR plurality
Benefits:
Reflects popular will of a nation
Would increase voter turnout (people vote when theres a chance it can make a difference)
Drawbacks:
Would require a Constitutional amendment ( from Congress; of states)
With multiple candidates, one candidate could win via small plurality rather than strong
majority
Close elections would require recounting in entire nation, not just in one or two states
(expensive and long)

Option 3: Proportional Allocation of Electoral Votes

Maintains the Electoral College but splits each states votes in accordance
with popular vote percentage
- ie. a candidate who comes in 2nd place with 45% of popular vote would
receive 45% of electoral college votes
Benefits:
would increase voter turnout (you know your vote will be reflected proportionally
would encourage candidates to campaign more broadly
Drawbacks:
hard to allocate electors proportionally which could lead to unfairness
Difficult to pass nationally; can be done on a state by state basis but this could pose
serious inequality - ie. imagine if CA passed proportional voting but TX did not)

Option 4: Instant Runoff Voting

Voters rank candidates in order of preference rather than voting for a

single candidate
Ballots initially distributed based on each electors first preference; if a
candidate secures a majority,that candidate wins
If no majority, ballots are recounted and added to to totals based on who
is ranked next on each ballot
Process continues until one candidate has a majority

Benefits:
Wouldnt discourage 3rd parties as it avoids the possibility of stealing
votes/splitting an election
Can be used with or w/o the electoral college (wouldnt req. an
amendment)
Drawbacks:
Hard to pass at a national level, where it would be far more effective (need
amendment to eliminate electoral college)