Our country has successfully used the Electoral College method of electing a president since the 1800s. It has been a highly effective election tool that has helped to keep order and sanity in our political 2 party system. However, I find it unfair that my general election vote is rendered useless each time a president is elected in November because the actual election of the president and vice president is left up to an electoral college composed of 538 electors. I feel that my voice gets lost in all the confusion and the actual voice of the people is drowned out in favor or political favors.
As I view the current situations arising from our historic presidential election this year, I am further convinced that the electoral college and the electors have lost their relevance in today’s world. The political landscape is no longer the same as it was in the 1800s. Men and women are now on equal ground regarding all rights and liberties, and our population is no longer simply composed of Whites and African Americans. Our country is a boiling pot of cultures, nationalities, and traditions that have gained a voice and acceptance in the modern American world. Their views and opinions should be heard and considered, as well as their popular vote. We say that our country is the land of the free and is the only truly democratic country in the world. And yet our politicians continue to disregard the voice of the many when it comes to selecting the highest officials of the land. Why do we continue to allow this blatant disregard towards our right to be heard? Casting our votes in primaries, caucuses, and general elections is one thing. Having the electoral college actually reflect each individual vote is another.
The first sign that the electoral college was beginning to lose its relevance as the elective voice of the people showed during the presidential election of the year 2000 when Al Gore beat George W. Bush in the popular vote but lost due to the way representatives in the electoral college voted. Had the popular vote method of the election been followed, the actual voice of the people would have been heard and reflected in who actually ended up in the White House Oval Office, and then maybe, the country would not be the mismanaged mess it is right now.
Although I agree that nomination conventions are necessary to make sure that only the best and fittest of candidates end up running for president, I strongly disagree with the way the general elections are held. If the country truly wants to prove that the racial divide has been overcome and that all voices, regardless of race and skin color, are actually given the same consideration, we must take steps to dissolve the electoral college and lay the foundation for a change in our electoral process. We must allow the results of the general election to dictate who the real presidential election winner is by considering only the popular votes of the general public. This is the only way to finally and totally dissolve any more questions of racial divide, divisiveness, and other “nominee” related issues.
I know that what I ask for is not something that can easily be done. After all, the electoral college is something that has been around since our constitution was first drafted. However, I believe that election systems must change with the times. The electoral college is a remnant of a Jurassic era that no longer serves its actual purpose in the day and age of high technology and people connectivity. It may not happen this November, it may not even happen in 2012. What should happen now, however, is the laying of the groundwork that will produce a new, stronger, and more considerate election process for the generation of Americans and immigrants to come.