We've worked hard for the past couple years to get rid of the Electoral College in its current form by enacting the
National Popular Vote plan in enough states to reach 270 electoral votes. A great opinion piece today in the NY Times makes
a strong case for why we need to pass NPV in many states now--in 2009 and 10--and not wait around.
There is no reason to feel sentimental about the Electoral College. One of the main reasons the founders created it was slavery. The southern states liked the fact that their slaves, who would be excluded from a direct vote, would be counted -- as three-fifths of a white person -- when Electoral College votes were apportioned.
The founders also were concerned, in the day of the wooden printing press, that voters would not have enough information to choose among presidential candidates.
While these reasons for the Electoral College have lost all relevance, its disadvantages loom ever larger. To start, the system excludes many voters from a meaningful role in presidential elections. If you live in New York or Texas, for example, it is generally a foregone conclusion which party will win your state's electoral votes, so your vote has less meaning -- and it can feel especially meaningless if you vote on the losing side. On the other hand, if you live in Florida or Ohio, where the outcome is less clear, your vote has a greatly magnified importance.
The Electoral College also makes America seem more divided along blue-red lines than it actually is. If you look at an Electoral College map, California appears solidly blue and Alabama solidly red. But if you look at a map of the popular votes, you see a more nuanced picture....
One of the biggest problems with the Electoral College, of course, is that three times since the Civil War -- most recently, with George W. Bush in 2000 -- it has awarded the presidency to the loser of the popular vote. The president should be the candidate who wins the votes of the most Americans.
You are not logged in.
In order to post a comment, you must be logged in. If you have a member account, please log in to comment.
If not, you can make an account just by filling out the form below. It's quick and free.
