| by Jillian Hahn | 12/06/08 | 411 views |
With the election fresh in the minds of many, people are again wondering why the Electoral College is still being used. After all, if a president can win the popular vote and lose the election, how democratic is the system? And now, after another election was rumored to be close, many people are questioning the system that we use. So, what is it, why do we use it, and is it really an outdated practice?
The Electoral College was written into the constitution years ago when it was drafted. Basically, when you think you’re voting for the president, you are actually voting for electors. The electors are the ones who actually elect the president. It was created during a time when people had few means of finding out the candidates’ backgrounds and political views. Instead, they relied on electors, who were more informed than the general public, to make the final decision.
Well, we don’t have any problem getting information to everyone in the nation anymore. In fact, with newspapers, TV, internet, and cell phones, one could argue that the world is in a mode of information overload. Many Americans know just as much, if not more, about the candidates than the electors.
There are other problems with the Electoral College as well, which cause small problems at best and are downright un-democratic at worst. The biggest problem is that the electors are not required to vote for the candidate that has the popular vote in that state. So basically, we vote for someone to convey our interests, but instead he or she could ignore the populace and vote according to personal preference. If this happens, all the electoral votes from one state could be decided by just a handful of people. That is hardly a democratic approach.
People who support the Electoral College will tell you that the system in place promotes cohesion: it protects small states, and prevents an onslaught of third parties. When analyzed, these arguments hold little water. The country will not be cohesive regardless of which system we use; different religions, races, and classes tend to vote the same way, and this has nothing to do with the Electoral College. As for protecting small states, I would say that they hardly need protection. In fact, with the current system they are given disproportionate power in electing the president. Local issues are rightfully the responsibility of local government.
Finally, third parties are hindered by many policies, but within the electoral process have remained a large part of the political process. Abolishing the Electoral College will not change the laws in place limiting third party access.
In short, there is very little need for the Electoral College today. In fact, it promotes undemocratic values and places a lot of power in the hands of very few people. I think it’s time we made a move to add another Amendment to the Constitution- how about you? continue >>
     
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