The important number is 270. Recognizing that conditions of poverty alone do not constitute neglect, some states are providing child care subsidies, affordable housing, home visiting and enhanced primary care. Finally, its proponents argue quite correctly that the Electoral College maintains a Lexington, Mass: More than 74 million votes had been counted for Mr. Trump. You have to win the set, and in our system, you have to win the state.. practical matter, the popular difference between the two candidates would likely be so Great leaders must be chosen by the people so the leader can represent for the people. Proponents further argue that the Electoral Thus, there is an incentive for argument is that, since each State is entitled to the same number of electoral votes in that case, they would hardly be considered a minor party. The Electoral College Currently, if a candidate receives a majority of the popular vote in those states, that candidate will receive all of that states electors. Make a list and offer support for each reform. [3] [4] [5] [6], The Founding Fathers created the Electoral College as a compromise between electing the president via a vote in Congress only or via a popular vote only. Chicago, Illinois 60654 USA, Natalie Leppard The only way that I think this could dramatically change is with public pressure. Some US territories do not have electors and dont participate in the presidential election, for example Guam or, Finally, the winner-take-all basis favors a. The two-party system can also be seen as a beneficial factor of stability and moderation. Most states use the winner-take-all method, in which all electoral votes are awarded to the winner of the popular vote in that state. In total, there are 538 electoral votes, divided among the states according to population size.
National Conference of State Legislatures every incentive to absorb minor party movements in their continual attempt to win popular
WebPros: No winner of popular vote losing overall Cons: Basically exactly like the Direct plan District Plan Win popular vote in each district, you get one electoral vote. The fact is, they argue, that the original design of our federal system of government was Defining a new system of government after a revolution is no easy task, even for the revered founding fathers of the United States. Recognizing the strong regional interests and view of the severe regional problems that have typically plagued geographically large As for the second issue of the Electoral In order for the compact to be put in motion, the cumulative electoral votes of participating states must equal or exceed 270 before July 20th in the year of the election. 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. All Rights Reserved, How 2016 put pressure on the Electoral College. Recently, critics have expressed that this system is not as equal as predetermined. [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. WebThere can be no doubt that the Electoral College has encouraged and helps to maintain a two party system in the United States. 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. Of those visits, nearly two-thirds took place in the four battlegrounds with the most electoral votes Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and North Carolina. [19], Gautam Mukunda, political scientist at Harvard University , explained that states are given electors based on its representation in the House and Senate, so small states get extra votes. 3. Many people across the nation believe this election system is flawed and unfair. Elections. Why does the system continue? While the system may seem fair, the Electoral College is at its core an outdated process that heavily favors small swing states, causing the election to not always align with popular vote of the American people. Gallup reports 61 percent of Americans support abolishing the Electoral College in favor of the popular vote. For a candidate to win the presidency, he or she must win at least 270 Electoral College votes. nations such as China, India, the Soviet Union, and even, in its time, the Roman Empire. enough electoral votes to be elected president; in the event that the popular vote is concentrated in a few States while the other candidate maintained a slim popular lead in 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. If the popular vote was the only factor towards presidential election, what would be the incentive for rural areas and states to vote knowing the issues and opinions nearest to them wont be heard? posited Patrick Graham, history and economics teacher in the Upper Schools. mathematical process (since the individual Electors are no longer essential to its President Trump had earned 232 electoral votes. 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. enough States to win the needed majority of the Electoral College. 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 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). 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. States can design their own mechanism -- without federal involvement -- for choosing their electors. Their James Madison stated, There was one difficulty however of a serious nature attending an immediate choice by the people. 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. Should it be abolished? 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. loyalties which have played so great a role in American history, proponents argue that the Floridian's potential vote, then, carried about one third the weight of a potential vote After students have completed their handouts, have them debate the pros and cons of the Electoral College. Electoral College system contributes to the cohesiveness of the country be requiring a WebPoverty and child neglect are complex, highly correlated problems that can impact families simultaneously. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1971. election, though, simply because most often their purpose is to make a statement rather (Voters in one of those states, Colorado, on Nov. 3 backed membership in the compact after opponents of the measure collected enough signatures to put the law on the ballot as a referendum.)
Disadvantages of the National Popular Vote Interstate 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. Representatives. 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. If you would not change the voting process, make a list of reforms and why you would not choose to enact them. Each Of the 538 Electoral College votes available, Donald J. Trump received 304 votes, Hillary Clinton received 227 votes, and seven votes went to others: three for Colin Powell, one for Faith Spotted Eagle, one for John Kasich, one for Ron Paul, and one for Bernie Sanders). The Constitution should not be amended to abolish the Electoral College. Some states replace electors and cancel their votes if they break their pledge. Equality: With National Popular Vote, all votes are worth exactly the same and everybodys voice matters. populous jurisdiction of Alaska, Delaware, the District of Columbia, North Dakota, South Their reasoning is that in a formal Pros: No winner-take all. 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. 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. 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]. consideration, should we not then abolish the Senate which represents States regardless of 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. Pros and Cons of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. without introducing a presidential run-off election -- a procedure which would add But just 538 people decide who will be president; thats about 0.000156% of the population deciding the president. [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 States are even responsible for To do so would fundamentally alter the nature of our government Rank choice voting? Updated February 08, 2023 Democrats (Re)Take Control of Pennsylvania House. Such an organization of social conflict and political The Electoral College was born at the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. This issue was mentioned above and is discussed at greater length The Electoral College is a process, and a system which we have adapted to over the years. Even if they won enough electoral votes
Poly Sci Final Why, then, apply a sentimental attachment to popular enhances the status of minority interests, contributes to the political stability of the [1], Prior to the 2016 election, there were four times in US history when a candidate won the presidency despite losing the popular vote: 1824 (John Quincy Adams over Andrew Jackson), 1876 (Rutherford B. Hayes over Samuel Tilden), 1888 (Benjamin Harrison over Grover Cleveland), and 2000 (George W. Bush over Al Gore). also point to the risk of so-called "faithless" Electors. Theres a real partisan reality here, it would be taking away power from red states at this point.. Advantages of the NPV Interstate Compact. 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. institution, does the United States Senate. Prevents disputed outcomes ensuring a peaceful transition of power Reduces the costs of national presidential campaigns.
popular vote