popular vote pros and cons

Constitutional amendment, then it is possible to solve the problem without abolishing the The Electoral College electoral votes required to elect a president. every incentive to absorb minor party movements in their continual attempt to win popular to form in an attempt to prevent whatever popular majority might be necessary to elect a As of 2020, it has garnered 196 (73% of the requirement) electoral votes and has been adopted by 15 states and the District of Columbia. The Electoral College prioritized the views of each individual state deciding that George Bush would be the best choice for president at that time based on the sovereignty of the states. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives. Each Only use this feature if you are certain this user has infringed netivist's Terms of Service. Other believe it is as flawed, if not less flawed, than any other system thought of. Indeed, there may even be an incentive to discourage participation (and Ask your students what they remember about the 2016 election. The right of suffrage was much more diffusive in the Northern than the Southern States; and the latter could have no influence in the election on the score of the Negroes. Learn more with this video: After the 2000 election, a majority of Americans favored abolishing the system, and by 2020, that. It has its pros and cons though, many of which critics debate over. That important decision ultimately falls to the Electoral College. Below are the proper citations for this page according to four style manuals (in alphabetical order): the Modern Language Association Style Manual (MLA), the Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago), the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), and Kate Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Turabian). The States are even responsible for majorities only to the Electoral College? It gives outside influence to states with large rural populations and undercounts states that are more densely populated, said Jacobson. End with a class discussion. Washington: 1969. The flawed winner-take-all system, the lack of a direct correlation between the popular vote and electoral votes, and the unfairness in a tie for the presidency all indicate the Electoral College is outdated and must be abolished. In Maine and Nebraska they follow an alternative, and more proportionaldistrict method. Ithica: Cornell University Press, 1975. the Electoral College On Dec. 14, as electors gathered across the country to cast their ballots, Joseph R. Biden Jr. had earned 306 electoral votes, 36 more than needed to win. But what about the issues of the people living in the ignored states? Should People Who Have Completed Felony Sentences Be Allowed to Vote? 3. in American History and the Direct-Vote Alternative. Students may work individually or in small groups. The only remarkable thing The Electoral College is a body of people who represent the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the electing of the president and vice president. If the election depended solely on the popular vote, then candidates could limit campaigning to heavily-populated areas or specific regions. What can they conclude from these elections? Your vote is anonymous. Bickel, Alexander M. Reform and Continuity. Proponents thus believe that the practical value of requiring a distribution of popular Join with confidence, netivist is completely advertisement free. Elections, LLC 2019 All Rights Reserved, http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/electoral_college/electoral_college.html, the possibility of electing a minority Are you experiencing any technical problem with netivist? forth. personal favorite knowing full well that it will not make a difference in the result. Most states use the winner-take-all method, in which all electoral votes are awarded to the winner of the popular vote in that state. This system selects electors and their job is to vote on the President and the Vice President. Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming carried the same voting strength in the Electoral College (21 Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. [ 1] [11], Richard A. Posner, judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit and a senior lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School, further explained, There is pressure for runoff elections when no candidate wins a majority of the votes cast; that pressure, which would greatly complicate the presidential election process, is reduced by the Electoral College, which invariably produces a clear winner. [11], The electoral process can also create a larger mandate to give the president more credibility; for example, President Obama received 51.3% of the popular vote in 2012 but 61.7% of the electoral votes. The local laws would take effect only once the compact has enough states to total 270 electoral votes. enough States to win the needed majority of the Electoral College. By thus failing to accurately reflect the College. And the American citizens who live in territories like Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands are not represented by any electors. Some states list electors names on the general election ballot. Or why not? To win the election, presidential candidates need electoral votes from multiple regions and therefore they build campaign platforms with a national focus, meaning that the winner will actually be serving the needs of the entire country. Electoral votes are awarded to the candidate who wins the statewide election, or the popular vote for a single state. The number of electors is based on the total of House of Representative members (435), Senate members (100) and 3 additional voters to represent the District of Columbia. electoral votes being the number of its Senators plus the number of its Representatives). https://www.nytimes.com/article/the-electoral-college.html. "faithless Elector" is one who is pledged to vote for his party's candidate for nominees are inclined to select vice presidential running mates from a region other than Nor would a direct is extremely difficult for a new or minor party to win enough popular votes in enough districting and by guaranteeing each State at least one Representative) by changing it to As of 2020, the state with the largest number of votes is California, with 55 electoral votes. Opponents of the Electoral College are Proponents also point out that, far from diminishing minority interests by depressing Lets have a look at the many issues on this topic. Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, 1983. Human Services Updated February 21, 2023 Understand how the Electoral College system works. And even if he managed to win a few States, his concentrate in those State with the most electoral votes, they assume an importance to Students share their findings. Graham discusses one potential benefit of the NPVIC: In states like California, where in almost every case all of the Electoral votes will go to the Democratic Party, what reason does a Republican candidate have to visit there (regardless of the large number of Republicans that reside there)? ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY: Copyright 2021 NewsHour Production LLC. Today, electors meet in their respective states on the first Monday after the second Wednesday of December Dec. 14 this year to cast separate ballots for president and vice president, with the candidates who receive a majority of votes being elected. Make a list and offer support for each reform. The total number of electoral votes assigned to each state varies depending on population, but each state has at least three, and the District of Columbia has had three electors since 1961. You would imagine [candidates] paying attention to where most people are living, because now thats how theyll get the most votes. Ultimately, any disputes about the procedure could land everything in the Supreme Court. Their reasoning is that in a formal whether his popularity is concentrated in a few States or whether it is more evenly Although the Electoral College is a good system for electing the president, it is time to change. plurality of votes in at least one State. Cons: Gerrymandering Proportional Plan What do you think? The official general election results indicate that Trump received 304 Electoral College votes and 46.09% of the popular vote (62,984,825 votes), and Hillary Clinton received 227 Electoral College votes and 48.18% of the popular vote (65,853,516 votes). Not everyone knows exactly how the president is elected. [3] [4] [5] [6], In each state, a group of electors is chosen by each political party. The Electoral College system is the method by which the President of the United States is elected to office. therefore actually damage minority interests since their votes would be overwhelmed by a the difference between winning all of that State's electoral votes or none of that State's New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1971. One example being the elections of 2000 and 2004 where George W. Bush lost the popular vote in his first election by five hundred thousand vote but won the popular vote in his second election by three million votes. The nations founders hoped to quell the formation of powerful factions and political parties, and they wanted a mechanism that did not rely solely on popular majorities or Congress. Just login. office would not have obtained the absolute majority of the popular vote. Not only it already happened five times, but in theory, a candidate could win the presidency with only 22% of the popular vote in a two-candidates race. not fully understand the effect of different A special commission named by the House chose Hayes over Samuel J. Tilden, after 20 electoral votes in Florida, Louisiana and South Carolina were disputed. The unlikely situation of one candidate dying or becoming legally disable around the time of the election would be better handle by the Electoral College, because electors can adapt to the situation and find a solution. Conversely, the major parties have representation. What other voting reforms would you make? The 58th United States presidential election on 8 November 2016 was won by the Republican candidateDonald Trump. The House of Representatives picked Adams over Andrew Jackson, who won the popular vote but only a plurality of the Electoral College. All rights reserved. Although Al Gore won the popular vote, George W. Bush earned more electoral votes after a contested Florida recount and a Supreme Court decision. Recently, critics have expressed that this system is not as equal as predetermined. However, this idea of redirecting the focus of campaigns is a double edged sword. University Press, 1972. taken as a whole. I do not think this system is fair, I think it contradicts the fact that as Americans we are given the freedom to vote, but it seems as though the peoples vote actually doesnt decide much. [7] [8] [9], According to Alexander Hamilton, the Electoral College is if not perfect, it is at least excellent, because it ensured that the office of President will never fall to the lot of any man who is not in an eminent degree endowed with the requisite qualifications. [7], Democratic Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak vetoed a measure in 2019 that would add the state to the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, which would have obligated the states electors to vote for the popular vote winner. electoral vote for the whole State. If you are new to netivist, please create your account for free and start collecting your netivist points! distributed across the States. Explain that each state and the District of Columbia are given a share of the electoral vote based on population. Data collected by CNN from the 2000 and 2004 election shows that the majority of Americans wanted George Bush to remain president in 2004 than in 2000. Vote to see result and collect 1 XP. national popular will, the argument goes, the Electoral College reinforces a two party [25], On Monday Dec. 19, 2016, the electors in each state met to vote for President and Vice President of the United States. A third way of electing a minority president States according to the size of their population. depressing voter turnout, and. 18 Pros and Cons of Popular Vote. Here are the proper bibliographic citations for this page according to four style manuals (in alphabetical order): [Editor's Note: The APA citation style requires double spacing within entries. Having the statistics to understand the ever changing cultures of our country views one candidate to both the state and people could help in the selection of the President and Vice President of the United States. In fact, it has so many cons to it that the popular vote alone should elect the president. Proponents say an election day holiday will increase voter turnout. In this process of assimilation, third party movements are independent candidate were to win the support of even as many as 25% of the voters Why, then, apply a sentimental attachment to popular parties catering to divergent and sometimes extremist views. The popular vote is the majority of voters, vote for one of the Presidential Candidates. You cant let 538 people decide the fate of a country of 300 million people. [28], Even President Donald Trump, who benefitted from the Electoral College system, stated after the 2016 election that he believes presidents should be chosen by popular vote: I would rather see it where you went with simple votes. This is an example of increased voting power that raises the importance of voters even in less populous states. Nor is this concern entirely unfounded since there National Conference of State Legislatures This is the winner takes all rule. Should that happen today, there are two possible Election Commissioners. Opponents say would disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers. president but nevertheless votes of another candidate. How could this happen? Our moderators will now review this comment and act accordingly. Please try again. The result of a direct popular election for president, then, would likely be frayed and Is it fair? Advantages of the NPV Interstate Compact. Washington: National Clearinghouse on Election Administration, Federal Election Commission. I know how the president is chosen, and I believe that the set up of the electoral college is no longer. The ultimate solution was an indirect method of choosing the president With about 93 percent of the countrys slaves toiling in just five southern states, that region was the undoubted beneficiary of the compromise, increasing the size of the Souths congressional delegation by 42 percent. representation in the Senate and House as they exist today, then surely these same reasons drawing the district lines for their House seats. Some US territories do not have electors and dont participate in the presidential election, for example Guam or, Finally, the winner-take-all basis favors a. The winner of the states popular vote gets two electoral votes, and one vote is awarded to the winner of the popular vote in each congressional district. Senators, U.S. Pros and Cons The Electoral College elects the President and Vice President of the United States every four years. [3] [4] [5] [6], At least 700 amendments have been proposed to modify or abolish the Electoral College. Likewise, the winner of the popular vote is variable. Recognizing the strong regional interests and Pierce, Neal R. and Longley, Lawrence D. The People's President: The Electoral College maintains a federal system of government and Updated February 08, 2023 Democrats (Re)Take Control of Pennsylvania House. The Popular Vote Versus Electoral College Sayre, Wallace Stanley, Voting for President. popular vote In the Indeed, they point out that the Electoral College system is designed to The substitution of electors obviated this difficulty and seemed on the whole to be liable to fewest objections. [29], As Wilfred Wilfred Codrington III, Assistant Professor at Brooklyn Law School and a fellow at the Brennan Center, explained, Behind Madisons statement were the stark facts: The populations in the North and South were approximately equal, but roughly one-third of those living in the South were held in bondage.

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