popular vote pros and cons

participation. This issue was mentioned above and is discussed at greater length This leads to an intense focus on battleground states, as candidates look to boost their electoral advantage by targeting states that can help them reach the needed 270 votes of the 538 up for grabs. Disadvantages of the National Popular Vote Interstate All other elections in the U.S. are through the popular vote. The Electoral College elects the President and Vice President of the United States every four years. 4. It remains one of the most surprising facts about voting in the United States: While the popular vote elects members of Congress, mayors, governors, state legislators and even more obscure local officials, it does not determine the winner of the presidency, the highest office in the land. Its the Electoral College, not the national popular vote, that determines who wins the presidency. Electors are chosen by the states to actually cast the official votes for president. A person that can provide and lead a nation to greatness and success. WebWhat are some pros and cons of the electoral college? How could this happen? Two exceptions are Maine and Nebraska, which rely on congressional districts to divvy up electoral votes. vote count As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Pros and Cons In recent years, there have been two notable elections in which the ultimate victor did not win the popular vote: 2016 and 2000. There are pros and cons to both systems. pros and cons In the United States there is a two party system consisting of the Republicans and the Democrats. For years there have been debates about abolishing the Electoral College entirely, with the 2016 election bringing the debate back to the surface. ], ProCon.org, "The Electoral College Top 3 Pros and Cons,", ProCon.org, "The Electoral College Top 3 Pros and Cons. going to be for one candidate or the other, an occasional Elector casts a vote for some Excerpt from an original publication: Kimberling, William C. (1992). The process of choosing electors can be an insiders game, said Kimberly Wehle, a professor at the University of Baltimore and the author of What You Need to Know About Voting and Why. They are often state legislators, party leaders or donors, she said. votes, then the choice of president defaults to the States in the U.S. House of Majority of the time electors are people highly involved with the presidential candidates, such as party leaders, or state elected officials. There are currently 538 electors, representing the 50 states and the District of Columbia. 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. Certain penalties exist in other states. What can they conclude from these elections? Representatives. nation by encouraging a two-party system, and. electoral vote for the whole State. WebMaking Elections Accessible and Meaningful Providing Incentives for Conciliation Facilitating Stable and Efficient Government Holding the Government Accountable Holding Individual Representatives Accountable Encouraging Political Parties Promoting Legislative Opposition and Oversight Making the Election Process Workable and Sustainable Your comment is being posted. The same principle applies WebThere can be no doubt that the Electoral College has encouraged and helps to maintain a two party system in the United States. The Senate was designed to represent You would see campaigns giving different geographic emphasis. As for the second issue of the Electoral nations such as China, India, the Soviet Union, and even, in its time, the Roman Empire. Accessed February 21, 2023. https://www.procon.org/headlines/electoral-college-pros-cons-procon-org/. With thismethod a state is divided into a number of districts, allocating one of its state-wide electoral votes to each district. The group as a whole should help that student to prepare his or her argument. sets of coherent alternatives. While Gore won the popular vote by about half a million in 2000, Hillary Clinton won it by nearly three million in 2016. We are having trouble saving your comment. contributes to the cohesiveness of the country States also conduct other elections (for U.S. If your thoughts have not changed, list two to three ways your better understanding of the other side of the issue now helps you better argue your position. 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. This occurred, as noted above, in 1824 and was unsuccessfully [2] [14], The two main political parties can count on winning the electoral votes in certain states, such as California for the Democratic Party and Indiana for the Republican Party, without worrying about the actual popular vote totals. A candidate could be elected without the popular vote. (Until the ratification of the 12th Amendment in 1804, the candidate with the second-highest number of electoral votes became vice president.). Occasionally, citizens believe that we should no longer have an electoral college since it does not allow Americans to have a voice during the election, but the electoral college helps the election process go smooth, gives power to the states, and makes it easier for candidates to campaign. Ask your students what they remember about the 2016 election. 3. Whether electors should be able to change their positions has been heavily debated, so much so that the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in July that states may require electors to abide by their promise to support a specific candidate. I think it might actually inflame [the issue of polarization]. Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming carried the same voting strength in the Electoral College (21 The direct consequence of using an Electoral College and a winner-take-all basis in most states is that a presidential candidate can be elected to the office without winning the popular vote, as it happened in the previous four occasions, more recently in 2000 when George W. Bush defeated Al Gore. You may assign these groups according to your Learning Management System (LMS) if conducting distance or remote learning. If it contains abusive or inappropriate language its author will be penalized. Schlesinger, Arthur M. Jr. It is not fair for the other candidate because he or she also got some votes from that state. a vacuum. Should that happen today, there are two possible exacerbate regional differences. Like the Electoral College, the NPVIC is a subject of much debate. [1], Prior to the 2016 election, there were four times in US history when a candidate won the presidency despite losing the popular vote: 1824 (John Quincy Adams over Andrew Jackson), 1876 (Rutherford B. Hayes over Samuel Tilden), 1888 (Benjamin Harrison over Grover Cleveland), and 2000 (George W. Bush over Al Gore). Because of how the system is set up, it is possible for one candidate to win the popular vote and another to win the electoral vote. College point out, quite correctly, its failure to accurately reflect the Recently, critics have expressed that this system is not as equal as predetermined. This proves the system is working. Washington: American The popular vote is the majority of voters, vote for one of the Presidential Candidates. State viewpoints, they decided, are [21] [22], A Sep. 2020 Gallup poll found 61% of Americans were in favor of abolishing the Electoral College, up 12 points from 2016. the Congress as an institution. List two to three ways. solely those of the author and are not necessarily shared by the Federal The Electoral College is a way of voting that gathers the majority for each individual state, allowing that states elector to vote on a presidential candidate, giving that candidate an amount of points equal to the states politicians in the Senate and House of Representatives. However, a popular vote system, although hard to implement, is a more purely democratic system than the Electoral College. [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. Ultimately, they decided that when electing an executive, the Electoral College system would be implemented. Of the 538 Electoral College votes available, Donald J. Trump received 304 votes, Hillary Clinton received 227 votes, and seven votes went to others: three for Colin Powell, one for Faith Spotted Eagle, one for John Kasich, one for Ron Paul, and one for Bernie Sanders). Did you know that in 2016, Donald Trump won the Electoral College vote over Hillary Clinton despite losing the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes? 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. Our moderators will now review this comment and act accordingly. WebPoverty and child neglect are complex, highly correlated problems that can impact families simultaneously. A popular vote system would significantly impact voters and turnout. [24], For the 2020 election, electors voted on Dec. 14, and delivered the results on Dec. 23. Selected students then present to the class as a whole. groups. Anyone can read what you share. Learn more with this video: After the 2000 election, a majority of Americans favored abolishing the system, and by 2020, that. voter participation, the Electoral College actually enhances the status of minority president but nevertheless votes of another candidate. For example, the state of Wyoming has a population of 580,000 but holds 3 electoral votes. the Electoral College Some states on the political map might say that its the right thing to do, to agree to go with the popular vote. For example, the state of Wyoming has a population of 580,000 but holds 3 electoral votes. Indeed, they point out that the Electoral College system is designed to (They dont always do so.). Additionally, Dr. Jacobson discussed the possibility of voter depression across all states under the NPVIC. its failure to accurately reflect the national Despite the difficulties it poses, the idea of abolishing and replacing the Electoral College is gaining steam. They will do as promised if the candidates do a very good job vetting them and picking people who are rock-solid, Professor Amar said. Because the procedure for electing the president is part of the Constitution, a Constitutional Amendment (which requires two-thirds approval in both houses of Congress plus approval by 38 states) would be required to abolish the Electoral College. It only takes five people with life tenure to actually amend this Constitution through a judicial opinion, she said. History Fairness: This compact would rightfully ensure that the candidate who receives the most votes wins, just as in any other election in the country and unlike in 2000 and 2016. Should the United States keep the Electoral College as it is defined in the Constitution? Yes, and that is what happened in 2016: Although Hillary Clinton won the national popular vote by almost three million votes, Donald Trump garnered almost 57 percent of the electoral votes, enough to win the presidency. extremely close, then the election defaults to that candidate with the best distribution these grounds, why should such an argument be used to abolish the lesser case of the Explain to your students that while in November Americans will cast their ballots for president, there is actually a system called the Electoral College that determines who will win the election. The Electoral College can also reduce the impact of the votes within safety states. Washington: Brookings Institution, However, during the 2000 election, it also appeared that problems in one isolated state (Florida) could influence greatly the overall outcome of the election. In addition to protecting the presidency from impassioned but transitory third party Moreover, they suspected that the citizens would not educated themselves on candidates, and that citizens would not have enough information to make a good judgement. Also, for mainly the smaller states, the candidate the people want to win might not win because of the low affect towards the final decision. Elections (2nd ed). People call them faithless electors. In 2016, seven electors 5 Democrats and 2 Republicans broke their promises to vote for their partys nominee, the most ever in history. Some states replace electors and cancel their votes if they break their pledge. Recognizing that conditions of poverty alone do not constitute neglect, some states are providing child care subsidies, affordable housing, home visiting and enhanced primary care. 2. presidential and vice presidential candidates who are running together. incentives and disincentives are likely to operate, if at all, with an even greater force. more or less reflects the State's population size) plus the number of members it has in If so, how? And even if he managed to win a few States, his than make a difference. Under this system, the President is chosen by winning the majority of electoral votes, casted by the congressional representatives of each state according to the popular vote in each state. ], [Editors Note: The MLA citation style requires double spacing within entries. Please let us know! the People Vote: Steps in Choosing the President. vote the risk of so-called "faithless" Pierce, Neal R. and Longley, Lawrence D. The People's President: The Electoral College The same thing happened in 2000. concentrate in those State with the most electoral votes, they assume an importance to Your vote is anonymous. direct popular election, there would be every incentive for a multitude of minor parties However, increased voting power is also among the list of cons of the Electoral College. occasionally come close to this sort of outcome, the question here is whether the New York: Harper & Row, 1971. Longley, Lawrence D. The Politics of Electoral College Reform. vote (an idea which not even proponents of a direct election seem to advocate). In Nebraska and Maine, the candidate that wins the states overall popular vote receives two electors, and one elector from each congressional district is apportioned to the popular vote winner in that district. obliged to compromise their more radical views if they hope to attain any of their more There have been 7 such Electors in 2. That important decision ultimately falls to the Electoral College. apply to the choice of president. Of those visits, nearly two-thirds took place in the four battlegrounds with the most electoral votes Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and North Carolina. [19], Gautam Mukunda, political scientist at Harvard University , explained that states are given electors based on its representation in the House and Senate, so small states get extra votes. about those outcomes is that few people noticed and even fewer cared. More accurate. WebWhat are the advantages of National Popular Vote? Should the Voting Age Be Lowered to 16? Proponents say teens are knowledgeable enough to vote. The New York Times defines The Electoral College as a group of people that elects the president and the vice president of the United States (Bromwich 2016). The Popular Vote Versus Electoral College Electoral College system contributes to the cohesiveness of the country be requiring a A direct popular election of the president would likely have the opposite effect. In order to win an election, a candidate must obtain 270 or more electoral votes, or around 50.2% of all votes. Mr. Biden was leading in the popular vote, with more than 81 million votes. (Ed.) [11] [12] [13], Tina Mulally, South Dakota Representative, stated that the Electoral College protects small state and minority interests and that a national popular vote would be like two wolves and a sheep deciding whats for dinner. Mulally introduced a resolution passed by South Dakotas legislature that reads, The current Electoral College system creates a needed balance between rural and urban interests and ensures that the winning candidate has support from multiple regions of the country. [32], The Founding Fathers wanted to balance the will of the populace against the risk of tyranny of the majority, in which the voices of the masses can drown out minority interests. Would you like to create a debate and share it with the netivist community? No attention is paid to the smaller states because of the low electoral number, which doesnt really help the candidate win a lot. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly, 1985. In fact, it has so many cons to it that the popular vote alone should elect the president. The Electoral College system is the method by which the President of the United States is elected to office. What other voting reforms would you make? If there are reasons to maintain State Poly Sci Final nominees are inclined to select vice presidential running mates from a region other than Understand how the Electoral College system works. Most are, and it helps to think of voting on a state-by-state basis, Professor Amar said. Currently, if a candidate receives a majority of the popular vote in those states, that candidate will receive all of that states electors. [14] [35] [36], Robert Nemanich, math teacher and former elector from Colorado Springs, stated, Do we really want 538 Bob Nemanichs electing our president? [3] [4] [5] [6], At least 700 amendments have been proposed to modify or abolish the Electoral College. Some critics say this method disproportionately affects minority votes. Americans are still bent up and flustered on how an individual could lose the popular vote, but still, be given the upper hand in Electoral College votes. Theres a real partisan reality here, it would be taking away power from red states at this point.. Students may work individually or in small groups. Electoral votes are awarded to the candidate who wins the statewide election, or the popular vote for a single state. And the collective opinion of the Best, Judith. The delegates understood that the need for a leader was necessary but still bitterly remembered how Britain abused of its power. enhances the status of minority interests, contributes to the political stability of the Its about one person, one vote everybodys vote counting equally. I think it might actually inflame [the issue of polarization]. concentrated in a few States while the other candidate maintained a slim popular lead in Currently, Republicans control 26 state delegations, while Democrats control 22. In 2016, Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by more than one million votes, yet still lost the election on electoral votes. in 1988, for example, the combined voting age population (3,119,000) of the seven least population? People are rational actors; they are making a calculation if their vote is one of all the citizens in the United States, they may think that the possibility that their vote is going to matter is less. 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). President Trump had earned 232 electoral votes. In the The electors for each state are the number of House of Representatives Members and plus two for the Senators. Fair or not fair? University Press, 1972. Gallup reports 61 percent of Americans support abolishing the Electoral College in favor of the popular vote. What do you think? procon@eb.com, 2022 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. 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. movements into one of the two major political parties. generally acceptable objectives. every incentive to absorb minor party movements in their continual attempt to win popular Popular Vote Like the Electoral College, the 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. Opponents say would disadvantage low-income and blue collar workers. districting and by guaranteeing each State at least one Representative) by changing it to Electors, the possible role of the Electoral College in Or why not? Although the Electoral College is a good system for electing the president, it is time to change. Last modified on December 9, 2021. Imagine you have been elected to the presidency and have the power to amend this portion of the constitution, which allows for the electoral college. Sayre, Wallace Stanley, Voting for President. The Founders created the Electoral College because they did not trust people enough to allow them to directly elect the president (Lenz & Holman, 2013). system, in contrast, encourages political parties to coalesce divergent interests into two Rank choice voting? Join with confidence, netivist is completely advertisement free. Please consider making a small donation today. WebAdvantages of the Electoral Vote over a Popular Vote Supporters of using the electoral vote argue that it protects the rights of smaller states and is a cornerstone of American federalism. The Electoral College government. There are many flaws for this system. WebWhat Are The Pros And Cons Of The Electoral College. The important number is 270. Governor Sisolak stated, the compact could diminish the role of smaller states like Nevada in national electoral contests and force Nevadas electors to side with whoever wins the nationwide popular vote, rather than the candidate Nevadans choose. [31], Hans von Spakovsky, Senior Legal Fellow at the Heritage Foundation and a former commissioner for the FEC, explained, The Framers fears of a tyranny of the majority is still very relevant today. Electoral College? The Electoral College is the system in place that has historically determined the winner of the presidential election. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY: Copyright 2021 NewsHour Production LLC. And the American citizens who live in territories like Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands are not represented by any electors. by William C. Kimberling, But just 538 people decide who will be president; thats about 0.000156% of the population deciding the president. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives. The second advantage is that the all votes would be equally weighed (Richards). Advantages & Disadvantages of a Direct Popular Listen to a Constitution Center podcast exploring the pros and cons of the Electoral College. is if a third party or candidate, however small, drew enough votes from the top two that Small states only get 3 electoral votes, when really, their population, for example in Wyoming, is 584, 153. Likewise, the winner of the popular vote is variable. In a stark example, sparsely populated Wyoming has three votes and a population of about 580,000, giving its individual voters far more clout in the election than their millions of counterparts in densely populated states like Florida, California and New York. This is true simply because it This is often a misconception of the election process. Are you experiencing any technical problem with netivist? This piece was originally published in Inkwells2020 Election Print Issue. 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. national popular majority. Pros and Cons of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. the Electoral College point out that is was never intended to reflect the national popular Why does the system continue? below. nationwide, he might still end up with no Electoral College votes at all unless he won a Ithica: Cornell University Press, 1975. What relevance do they have today. depressing voter turnout, and. their own. Advantages and Disadvantages of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. Election Commission or any division thereof or the Jackson County Board of President Joe Biden was inaugurated with Vice President Kamala Harris on Jan. 20, 2021. Highly Recommended. Analyze and debate the pros and cons of the Electoral College system. represent each State's choice for the presidency (with the number of each State's This is because the number of support outweighs whatever sentimental value may attach to obtaining a bare majority of Lets have a look at the many issues on this topic. That could change on Nov. 3 of course, because all House seats are up for election. Human Services Updated February 21, 2023 helps to maintain a two party system in the United States.