The Truth about the Electoral College :: essays research papers

Since the foundation of America, the Electoral College has been the means of deciding the next president of the United States. Until the recent fiasco in the 2000 Florida presidential election, most people accepted the Electoral College as a fair way to decide a future president. In truth, the Electoral College has always been imbalanced and unfair. It was originally designed in Article II of the Constitution, so that each state receives an elector for every senator (two per state) and representative (number based on population). The way in which Electors were chosen was left up to the individual states. Each elector would vote for two candidates, and whoever received a simple majority (one half plus one votes) would become the next president. Whoever received the second most votes became vice president (Kimberling). After the Election of 1800, the Fourth Amendment introduced the idea of a vice president and president ticket. In addition, the amendment said that if a candidate did n ot receive an absolute majority in the Electoral College then the House of Representatives decided the next president. Presently all states choose their electors via statewide popular vote, and one presidential candidate receives all the electoral votes from each state (Kimberling). Upon close examination, it is easy to see the numerous flaws in the Electoral College. First, the most popular candidate does not necessarily win the presidency. Second, as it stands the Electoral College diminish voter turnout. Third, â€Å"faithless electors,† of which this country has had many, could decide an election. Lastly, the House of Representatives and, even an extreme case, the vice president can decide the president.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The most obvious problem with the Electoral College is that a president can receive the majority of the votes and lose. In a true election the most popular candidate always wins. However, in America a candidate simply needs a one-vote majority in enough states to receive 270 electoral votes. Several times in the past, most notably in the Election of 1888 between Benjamin Harrison and Grover Cleveland, the minority candidate has won the Electoral College and therefore the election. A democracy is â€Å"a majority rule† (Dictionary.com). If a minority candidate can win an election, America is not a true democracy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Electoral College does not take into account voter turnout when assigning electors, thereby diminishing voter turnout and not giving each man one vote. Electors are assigned to states as the number representatives and senators change.