Electoral College Abolition

Abolition of the Electoral College There is a need to abolish the Electoral College because it is outdated and problematic. It has caused the candidates with less popular votes to win the presidency. Many people are against the Electoral College for this very reason. In the past the Electoral College has caused controversy because of its problems and there has been a need for reform. The Electoral College was created at the Constitutional Convention. Williams says, “The Electoral College was established in Article II of the Constitution and was amended by the 12th Amendment in 1804 (28). “It was created as a compromise for the presidential election process because some politicians believed that a purely popular election was too reckless and

Williams suggests that the founders thought that the Electoral College was a sensible plan, but things don’t always work out how they should (28). It is a relic of America’s predemocratic past when leaders were scared of having too much power over the people (Klinker, McClellan 1). Congressional Digest suggests that we are stuck in a time warp (31). We still rely on a horse-and-buggy election system in the age of the internet (Congressional Digest 31). Congressional Digest points out the fact that voters today know more about the candidates than they did 200 years ago (19). “Is it possible that this once-brilliant device has become a constitutional accident waiting to happen” (Congressional Digest 25). “The Electoral College has been said to be ‘archaic,’ ‘too complex,’ and even ‘dangerous,’ but the principle complaint has been that it is ‘undemocratic’” (Klinker, McClellan 1). The Electoral College violates the principle of one-person, one-vote (Congressional Digest 17). Klinker states that Wyoming’s 619,500 residents make up only .18 percent of the U.S. population, yet recieve three three electoral votes which is .56 percent of the electoral votes, while Texas has a population of 20,044,141 residents that make up 7.35 percent of the U.S. population, but Texas’ 32 electoral votes make up slightly less than 6 percent of the electoral votes, giving one voter in Wyoming nearly as much power as four voters in Texas (1). “The votes of those living in small States count for more than those residing in large States” (Vandenburg 189). Many small states are assured 3 electoral votes regardless of population, giving them more power (Klinker, McClellan 1). “What remains of the Electoral College is merely a scheme for apportioning votes by state in a way that grossly distorts the principle of one person, one vote” (Klinker, McClellan 1). Some believe that the Electoral College protects