POLI 330N Week 4 Assignment: Electoral College – Good or Bad?

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Chamberlain University

POLI-330: Political Science

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Electoral College: Good or Bad?

Purpose of the Electoral College

The Electoral College was established with the aim of balancing the vote distribution among states in the presidential election process. Contrary to popular belief, the president is not elected by a nationwide popular vote. Instead, electors pledge their support to specific candidates and cast their votes based on the election outcome in their state. Most states follow the “winner-takes-all” approach, where the candidate who wins the majority of votes in that state claims all of its electoral votes. However, two exceptions exist: Maine and Nebraska, where the electoral votes are distributed proportionally.

Presidential Election of 2000: Background

The 2000 presidential election occurred on November 7, 2000, as Bill Clinton, the incumbent president, was finishing his term. A total of ten candidates were involved in this highly contested election. The Electoral College consisted of 538 members, with 270 being the necessary majority to win. However, the election became controversial due to issues like “hanging chads” and confusing butterfly ballots, which complicated the final vote tally and led to debates over the validity of the results.

Presidential Election of 2000: Results

In the 2000 election, the popular vote leaned toward Al Gore, who secured 50,996,039 votes, while George W. Bush garnered 50,456,141 votes. However, in the Electoral College, Bush received 271 votes, surpassing the 270 required to win, whereas Gore received 267 electoral votes. This discrepancy between the popular and electoral votes sparked debates on the effectiveness and fairness of the Electoral College system.

Why the Debate?

Issues Raised by the 2016 Election

The 2016 presidential election once again raised concerns about the Electoral College’s relevance and fairness. Questions emerged regarding whether this method of electing the president remains just in contemporary times. The debate centers on whether the Electoral College is still a pragmatic approach or if it undermines the will of the people, as it occasionally produces outcomes that contradict the popular vote.

Criticisms of the Electoral College

Several issues contribute to criticisms of the Electoral College. Some argue that the system is outdated and disproportionately benefits certain states, particularly swing states, which hold more influence over election outcomes. There is also concern about the unequal distribution of votes, with some individuals’ votes carrying more weight than others based on where they reside. Furthermore, the phenomenon of rogue electors, those who vote contrary to their state’s outcome, and incidents like the Capitol Hill riot have prompted calls for reform.

Reforming the Electoral College

Proposed Reforms

Reform advocates have suggested various ways to modify or replace the Electoral College system. One suggestion is to adjust the weight of electoral votes to better reflect population and demographics, ensuring that no state or group of states holds disproportionate power. Another recommendation is to count all votes equally, rather than relying on the winner-takes-all approach. Some reform plans also propose eliminating electors altogether but retaining electoral votes as a means of balancing power.

Reform Plans

Several specific reform plans have been proposed, including the Proportional Plan, where electoral votes are distributed based on the proportion of the popular vote; the Automatic Plan, where electors would be removed and electoral votes automatically assigned; and the District Plan, which allocates electoral votes by congressional district. Additionally, some advocate for selecting the president through direct popular election, thereby aligning the outcome with the majority of voters.

References

Aldrich, J., Reifler, J., & Munger, M. (2015). Sophisticated and myopic? Citizen preferences for Electoral College reform. Public Choice, 158(3-4), 541-558. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11127-013-0056-z

Bugh, G. (2016). Electoral college reform (2nd ed.). Routledge.

Edwards, G. (2019). Why the Electoral College is bad for America (3rd ed.). Yale University Press.

Paige, L., & Neale, T. (2018). The Electoral College: an overview and analysis of reform proposals. Everycrsreport.com. Retrieved March 25, 2021, from https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/RL30804.html.

POLI 330N Week 4 Assignment: Electoral College – Good or Bad?

Virgin, S. (2017). Competing loyalties in electoral reform: An analysis of the U.S. electoral college. Electoral Studies, 49, 38-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electstud.2017.07.003