The Electoral College is made up of delegates from every state who turn out to vote for the ultimate winner of the presidential election. This system was established to prevent presidential elections from being decided solely by popular vote. The Founders believed that the average voter might not possess the most remarkable insight to choose a competent leader. There are many debates around this component of the political system because the Electoral College system runs contrary to a set of rules for picking a presidential candidate.
Electoral College needs to be abolished because it is not democratic and does not reflect citizens’ desires. Instead of upholding the principle of one individual, one vote, it displays the preferences of state representatives elected by their constituents. Originally, the purpose of the arrangement was to prevent any one state from having undue influence over the outcome of a presidential election (Greenberg & Page, 2018). However, things turned out differently than expected. Compared to larger states, smaller states with fewer populations have more delegates. For example, Wyoming and Delaware both have three electors even though they do not have the same populations. Wyoming has a lower population (576,851 people) than Delaware (989,948 people) (U.S. Census Bureau 2022). Such situations give states with smaller populations greater authority to impose their will on a big populace with varying viewpoints.
Additionally, the Electoral College encourages contenders to pay attention to particular states’ needs rather than national concerns. Candidates have been allowed to take advantage of this system, which could have adverse effects in the future. Candidates could not be capable of addressing significant issues that impact all Americans equitably since they will only be allowed to campaign in places where they might win as a result (McCombie et al., 2020). Nevertheless, today’s electoral college system makes it more probable that contenders would be chosen for office based on their capacity to appeal to specific strategic interests rather than on how effectively they represent the interests of all Americans.
In conclusion, the Electoral College does not fix the Constitution’s problems or shortcomings. Its establishment has generated more issues than it has resolved. It has cause great division among American citizens since some areas appear more overrepresented in contrast to others. The system also reduces populace representatives; until December, no one will know who might be president. America must abolish the Electoral College and transition to a popular vote approach.
References
Greenberg, E. S & Page, B. I. (2018). The Struggle for Democracy, 2018 Elections, and Updates Edition. (12th ed.). Pearson.
McCombie, S., Uhlmann, A. J., & Morrison, S. (2020). The U.S. 2016 presidential election & Russia’s troll farms. Intelligence and National Security, 35(1), 95-114. Web.
U.S. Census Bureau. (2022). QuickFacts Wyoming. Web.