The electoral college is undemocratic in the sense that. Sep 14, 2017 this is precisely the problem with winnertakeall in the electoral college. According to article ii, section 1, clause 2 of the. Electoral college change from winnertakeall system gains. Dec 04, 2016 trump won because of the winner take all method of allocating electors used by 49 of the 51 jurisdictions participating in the electoral college. Opinion end winnertakeall in the electoral college the.
They meticulously scan the cvs of all the candidates, read their books and papers. In the majority of states, it is a winner takes all system. Dec 19, 2016 and so for the second time in 16 years, the candidate who lost the popular vote has won the presidency. A democracy serves the people but the winner take all only voices the electoral voters. The electoral college was meant to stop men like trump from being president. And so for the second time in 16 years, the candidate who lost the popular vote has won the presidency. Why the national popular vote plan is the wrong way to. Why is the winnertakeall system undemocratic answers. Fixing elections shows our whole 18thcentury winner take all political system. The book then evaluates the current operation of the winner take all electoral college and explains whycontrary to the mantra of many of its defendersit is essentially different from the electoral college conceived by the american founders. How it works in contemporary presidential elections congressional research service 2 of this eventuality, which occurred previously in 1876, 1888, and 2000.
Winnertakeall electoral practice faces voterrights challenge. An idea for electoral college reform that both parties might. They are unfair to republicans and democrats alike, and. Some argue its an unfair system because it allows for the possibility that the candidate. The electoral college is here to stay the marthas vineyard. A handful of battleground states is all that matters for winning the presidency. The founders created the electoral college, but 48 states eventually enacted state winnertakeall laws. An idea for electoral college reform that both parties might actually like the way we now elect presidents would horrify the authors of the u.
It was devised by the framers of the united states constitution to provide a method of election that was feasible, desirable, and consistent with a republican form of government. Unable to agree on any particular method for selecting presidential electors, the founding. Feb 21, 2018 1 of 3 texas electoral college electors take the oath of office in the house chamber at the texas capitol on dec. Some argue its an unfair system because it allows for. Over the years a combination of several factors has. In the other 18 elections, an electoral college majority went to the winner of a plurality of the national popular vote 14 times. Nov 21, 2016 the electoral college was meant to stop men like trump from being president. This is precisely the problem with winnertakeall in the electoral college. The national popular vote campaign doesnt eliminate the college.
Critics of the electoral college system point out that the system allows the possibility of a candidate actually losing the nationwide popular vote but being elected president by the electoral vote. The electoral college is antidemocraticand thats a good. As the college goes, so goes the constitution claremont. The winnertakeall electoral college system used by 48 states, including colorado, sees court challenges share this. The 2016 election added fuel to the argument that the electoral college was not only undemocratic and outdated but unsafe and vulnerable to foreign interference. What is the us electoral college and how does it work.
The theme of this attack upon the electoral college is well sum marized in a muchquotedsentence from the 1969 aba report. Jan 29, 20 the 1892 ruling, in fact, upheld a decision by the michigan legislature to switch from a winnertakeall to a districtbydistrict system. Constitution, but later enacted by 48 states, it could only take winning a bare. Democrats calling to abolish the electoral college should not. Dec 02, 2016 what i do resent is that the electoral college, except for maine and nebraska, is a statebystate winner take all, rather than being divided up proportionally. The electoral college has 538 members, and each state has the same number of electors as it does house and senate seats. The man who saved the electoral college national affairs. This election result is sometimes referred to, particularly by. Unconstitutional and unfair to voters in 48 states they are unfair to republicans and democrats alike, and dont need a constitutional amendment to fix.
Rather than giving each state 1 vote each as is done for example in the general assembly of the united nations, states. What is the winnertakesall rule in the presidential. Yet schumaker said wellintended corrections could prove risky. Trump won because of the winnertakeall method of allocating electors used by 49 of the 51 jurisdictions participating in the electoral college. Statelevel winnertakeall was notably less popular with democrats back in 2000, when it gave the white house to george bush despite al gores lead in the popular vote. The college is electing national officers the president and vice president of the united states. Moderates, such as senator john breaux who famously insisted that his vote could not be bought but it can be rented and max baucus, supported probusiness initiatives such as the bush tax cut. The electoral college is the system used by the united states to elect its lead executive. Democratic moderates, and democrats the authors call republicansforaday, aided the republicans in establishing a winnertakeall system. The push to abolish the electoral college is picking up steam as democrats turn their attention to the 2020. Challenging our nations malapportioned, undemocratic.
Explain why some people say that the winner take all system. Legality of electoral college process challenged in san. Democrats have been ready to ditch it for at least. A rebuttal of richard posners moronic defense of the.
Strategy for abolishing the electoral college detailed in new. What i do resent is that the electoral college, except for maine and nebraska, is a statebystate winnertakeall, rather than being divided up proportionally. Tally of the 1824 electoral college vote national archives. The electoral college was meant to stop men like trump from. Fixing elections and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle.
An electoral college map from the 1976 carterford campaign that. All it takes is for a minority of members of parliament to be elected by an. The national popular vote, explained brennan center for justice. Unconstitutional and unfair to voters in 48 states. Civil rights activists are challenging the legality of four states winnertakeall method of allocating u. Electoral college is better than alternatives critics of the electoral college and winnertakeall allocation as undemocratic should be careful what they wish for. Feb 21, 2018 civil rights activists are challenging the legality of four states winnertakeall method of allocating u. Jan 12, 2019 an idea for electoral college reform that both parties might actually like the way we now elect presidents would horrify the authors of the u. A national plebiscite conducted without reference to winnertakeall in the states indeed, without reference to the states whatsoever has no mechanism to ensure that the major party candidates will appeal to all or most of the same voters. Electoral college, the system by which the president and vice president of the united states are chosen. Ap united states government and politics 2007 scoring guidelines question 1 5 points part a. The reckless gamble in our electoral system by james a. Those winners, all below 50 percent of the popular vote, include. The winnertakeall electoral college system used by 48.
A winnertakeall system within states can produce results counter to the. The electoral college is a body of electors established by the united states constitution, which forms every four years for the sole purpose of electing the president and vice president of the united states. The electoral college method of electing a president of the united states is archaic, undemocratic, complex,ambiguous, indirect, anddangerous. In the 626page book npv supporters have authored, the voting rights act is. Constitution, the process today has moved substantially away from the framers original intent. The electoral college, by contrast, is gratuitously, inexcusably undemocratic. As for the idea that democrats have an advantage in the electoral college. The original electoral college, which lasted only through the first four presidential. Former attorney general eric holder is among the latest highprofile democrats to call. Jun 06, 2016 the electoral college, by contrast, is gratuitously, inexcusably undemocratic. They claim that its method of indirect election makes it undemocratic. In the winner take all states, the state legislative bodies hand over the choosing of electors to the states winning political party. While election of the president and vicepresident was provided for in article ii, section 1, clauses 2, 3, and 4 of the u. The fact that you can lose the popular vote but manage to win the election is stupid.
It cannot even ensure, the way the electoral college does, that we will have only two major parties. The electoral college is the name given to the method used for the member states of the united states to choose the president. The states adopted winnertakeall rules to enhance their role in determining the president. Democracy reformer larry lessig files lawsuits in four states. Time to end the electoral college the new york times. Nov 15, 2012 the electoral college is a strange mechanism, created to avert imaginary dangers, that violates basic democratic principles for no good reason. If the winnertakeall electoral voting is not consistent. The equal protection argument against winner take all in. While others may say that america is a republic, the voting system is advertised as democratic, and therefore should be. If the winnertakeall electoral voting is not consistent with all other states, should this be allowed. How states make the electoral college even more undemocratic.
This election result is sometimes referred to, particularly by proponents of electoral college reform, as a wrong. The electoral college is an antidemocratic institution. Nov 03, 2016 yet, the electoral college and the winner take all rule employed by most states isnt without controversy. The 1892 ruling, in fact, upheld a decision by the michigan legislature to switch from a winnertakeall to a districtbydistrict system. And the core principle of that decision that it is up to the states to choose the method was reaffirmed by the court in its decision in bush v. How electoral college cheats democracy consortiumnews. Oct 28, 2008 a closer look at the electoral college. Nov 08, 2016 the electoral college is an antidemocratic institution. Major alternatives, other than direct popular vote, are analyzed. The electoral college is one of the most undemocratic features of u. The electoral college is a strange mechanism, created to avert imaginary dangers, that violates basic democratic principles for no good reason.
Explain why some people say that the winner take all system of the electoral college is undemocratic. Federal lawsuits have been filed in four states, including texas, that. Another responder writes that i think the electoral college can be salvaged by eliminating the winner take all system. Yet, the electoral college and the winnertakeall rule employed by most states isnt without controversy.
397 1318 171 1243 772 1059 58 431 1276 1390 1220 1458 483 1058 1594 1104 15 128 963 703 332 592 18 761 1497 194 156 540 454 339 194 156 846 669 1278 780