Us Electoral College Essay Research Paper ELECTORAL

Us Electoral College Essay, Research Paper

ELECTORAL COLLEGE SYSTEM: Is it time for a change.

The recent presidential election brought to the forefront of the American public s mind the question of whether the Electoral College remains an appropriate method of electing the nation s highest-ranking public official. Although the closeness of this race reminded the general public that they did not have the right to directly elect the president, the debate as to the value of this system, or the question of what is the best method, is not new. In fact, the shortcomings of the Electoral College system have for some time been the subject of academic debate (Abbott). Over the years, the favor, and disfavor, of the Electoral College system has ebbed and flowed with the possibility of an election resulting in no majority winner, due to a viable third party candidate, or the possibility of a president being elected without winning the popular vote. Thus, with the recent election of president Bush, who failed to win the popular vote, yet garnered the 270 Electoral Votes necessary to attain a majority, the debate has again gained momentum as not a purely academic question (Wildvasky).

While the Electoral College system does serve several arguably desirable objectives, it also limits the personal power of the voter. This paper will look at both sides of the debate, and then draw a conclusion as to whether or not the value of the Electoral College system outweighs the costs. However, before looking at the pros and cons of our present system, it is best to begin with an explanation of how the Electoral College system came about and its original intended purposes. By understanding this, the foundation of the Electoral College system can be applied to the 21st century and examined for its relevance. Finally, this paper will conclude that the Electoral College system does not fit with the realities of 21st century elections, nor is it even being used, as it was intended when adopted in the U.S. Constitution. As such, it should be abolished, and a direct vote system should replace it.

Origin of the Electoral College

Up front it should be noted that while the Electoral College system took the day and was adopted by the framers into the U.S. Constitution, it was compromise because the other two choices could not gain a consensus (Peirce). In fact, most arguments for the system were actually arguments against the other two (Peirce). As such, now that the arguments against the direct vote system can be largely discounted, the Electoral College system loses much of its luster.

In order to decide whether or not the Electoral College system is the best system for electing the U.S. President today, one must first know what this system brings to the table. A critical look at why the framers adopted such a system will best enable one to recognize the strong points of the system, and thereafter determine if the value of it makes sense in the 21st century. Although the framers had already resolved the question of how congress was to be elected in favor of the direct vote method, the idea of the president being elected by direct vote was not very popular (Peirce 41). In fact, Peirce suggests that many delegates favored congress electing the president, and it was from this starting point that the debate eventually led to the Electoral College system.

Although many began with the notion that the best way to select a president was by election in congress, the debate on this subject soon illuminated the major flaw with this method. Fundamental in the U.S. Constitution is the idea of checks and balances, which by the very nature of a congressional elected president, would be put in jeopardy (Peirce 39). In the Federalist Papers No. 68, Alexander Hamilton stressed that unlike congress, or any other permanent body with duties beyond electing the president, the Electoral College would be free to act without influence (Hamilton). The fact was, if congress elected the president, bargains would be made between the two bodies, and their supporters, that would negate the value of separation of powers

While the framers soon understood that a system in which congress elected the president was not prudent, the second alternative, direct popular vote, had very little favor (Peirce 41). However, James Madison, Gouverneur Morris, and James Wilson, did favor this system (Peirce 41). The position of these prominent men helped to dissuade many from favoring the congressional method, but was not enough for the direct vote system to take the day. Although Madison and others believed that since the president was to check congresses power against the people, that the people should elect him (Peirce 41). Nevertheless, most delegates believed that the people were not capable of choosing a president (Peirce 43). As opposed to a congressional election, multiple senators and representatives would not dilute voting power of the people. Moreover, congressional representatives lived closer to the people voting, and thus, the voters had access to their platforms.

The failure of the first two choices to gain favor led to the introduction and eventual adoption of the Electoral College system. Again, the debate of the framers mainly consisted of negative arguments of the other two choices, and even this system was voted down twice (Peirce 44). The first form that was discarde