Electoral College Pros And Cons - 1169 Words

Electoral College Pros and Cons The 2016 presidential election was an example of the discrepancy between the Electoral College votes and the national popular votes. If the last presidential election had been decided by a national popular vote, then Hillary Clinton would have won the presidency because she had the majority of votes. However, due to the design of the Electoral College, Donald Trump won the election for president in 2016; although, he lost the national popular vote. Just as some people questioned the effectiveness of the Electoral College during some of the previous elections, several people questioned the effectiveness of the Electoral College again in 2016. The debate about whether the Electoral College should be kept or†¦show more content†¦The agricultural sector may not be as common in other areas of the U.S. but still needs to be represented (2). The small states farmers’ interests are just as important as the interests of the metropolitan areas of the bigger states, hence, the i nitial distribution of the two electoral votes for every state. Picture one shows the distribution of electoral votes among all states. It illustrates the importance of the extra electoral votes assigned to the small states, as well as where the most populous states are located. Picture one: Each state’s allocated number of electoral votes Source: USA.gov, Presidential Election Process, usa.gov (accessed Mar 20, 2016) Second, there are the critics who want to abolish the Electoral College for various reasons. One of the top arguments mentioned is that it is undemocratic. As Alex. K. Rich and Heather Newton explain in their book â€Å"Point: The Electoral College has Destroyed Democracy,† the â€Å"one-person, one vote† does not exist within the Electoral College. People vote for an elector without knowing who he/she is, who then casts a vote on their behalf. Due to the â€Å"winner-takes-all† (in 48 of the 50 states) process, the winner of the plurality of the votes in a state receives all of the electoral votes. Therefore, not all of the votes originally cast count (2). Another top argument to abolish theShow MoreRelatedPros And Cons Of The Electoral College1308 Words   |  6 Pagesvote by 2.7 Million votes. Donald Trump won because of the Electoral College. The Electoral College gives each state a number of electors that can range from three to fifty-five depending on the size of the state. The number of electors is decided by combining the number of senators and representatives that state has. To win the presidential election, a candidate would have to get 270 electoral votes, if neither candidate gets 270 electoral votes then the senate and the House of Representatives getRead MorePros And Cons Of The Electoral College738 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"I’m sorry we ever invented the electoral college† Al Gore. Many think the electoral college is a great thing, others? Not so much. If you’re unaware of what the electoral college is, it’s a process, not a place. The founding fathers established it in the Constitution as a compromise between election of the President by a vote in Congress and election of the President by a popular vote of qualified citizens. There’s pros and cons of the electoral college, and by the end of this essay you may decideRead MorePros And Cons Of The Electoral College1165 Words   |  5 PagesThe Electoral College what can I say to be honest, I know nothing about the Electoral College, but I will do my best to explain it to people who might know and to help them know so when they re seventeen they know like I should. So the Google definition of the Electoral College is a body of people representing the states of the US, who cast votes in the election of the President and Vice President. I would have not given that explanation, it would have told you it is a College. So helping you andRead MorePros And Cons Of Electoral College1791 Words   |  8 PagesThe Electoral College was established, by the Constitution to elect the President, in order to avoid an unfair bal ance of powers. The framers chose the complicated system of the Electoral College as the most equitable option. One option to elect the President was to hold a popular vote, however, the framers argued that the people might not have enough wisdom or information. The State Legislators were a promising option, but the framers worried that the Legislators would carry too much bias againstRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of The Electoral College1290 Words   |  6 PagesStates Electoral College had been a contradicting system due to the diversification of America throughout the years. The major issue with this system, however, relies on America’s own national popular vote that contradicts the Electoral College. Many citizens would rather rely on alternatives such as the national popular vote in order to make presidential elections more bearable. All systems conclude of disadvantages and advantages. Ultimately I as well as many people disagree with the Electoral CollegeRead MoreThe Pro s And Cons Of The Electoral College1625 Words   |  7 PagesIn the United States, the Electoral College determines the victor of a national election. Each state has its own number of electoral votes, which is determined by state population. This system is a â€Å"winner takes all† system. Which means the candidate with 50 percent or more of the votes in an individual state gets all of that states electoral votes. The 2016 presidential election will have 538 electoral votes, this means that the election will be decided who is the first candidate to 270 votes. SomeRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of The Electoral College1167 Words   |  5 Pagesthe Electoral College system should be amended because it poorly illustrates democracy, is outdated and Electoral College Reform The voting process in America appears straightforward, but it is a very complex, complicated system. The Electoral College is America’s current voting system. The Electoral College still serves its intended purpose, but with increasing political activity among Americans it has caused a need to reform this process. Research suggests that the Electoral College systemRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of The Electoral College780 Words   |  4 Pagesprevious years. While many argue that the Electoral College defeats the purpose of voting, and diminishes the majority’s voice, this is certainly not the case. Without the Electoral College, elections would quickly become, and encourage, radical and corrupt ways in their voting systems, that could possibly result in a detrimental nationwide political crisis of voter fraud, and a rise to direct democracy. Majority of those who strive to abolish the Electoral College, are in simple terms; angry becauseRead MoreFinal Exam1541 Words   |  7 Pages POS/110 Democracy in America Democracy in America is something that has been the topic of the news for many years. It has caused many debates among several different individuals. Democracy, like anything, has its pros and its cons as well. In the following paragraphs will be the tip of the iceberg of some things that are debatable about democracy in America. One topic in particular that has been debated is the Constitution. The Constitution was written in 1787. The ConstitutionRead MoreThe Electoral College Is The Best Interests Of All The People1223 Words   |  5 PagesThe Electoral College, a hot topic these days, is subject to both criticism and defense. To understand why either side is valid we must look at its values and its weaknesses, its pros and cons. In defense of the Electoral College we can see that it in its roots the Electoral College was devised to dole out the power of selecting our executives geographically, and to give otherwise marginalized portions of the U.S. population a voice. Adversely the Electoral College can be seen as an obstruction to