Is the Electoral College still necessary? After all, this country was founded on the basis of freedom. Should the popular vote should still be of the utmost importance. How does the entire country get a fair, final say on the election results, with everyone’s interests balanced? After the 2016 election especially, citizens across the US have called for the removal of the archaic Electoral College system. However, the issues regarding the Electoral College go back way further than 2016, with the differences between the Electoral College and Popular Vote being constantly under scrutiny by critics.
The Electoral College is a polarizing issue, with Republicans in favor of it and Democrats pushing for abolition. This is because one of the Electoral College’s purposes is to make sure the interests of less populated areas are not drowned out by the more populated areas. These less populated areas are generally rural America, the highly conservative “flyover” states. President Trump believes that the entire Midwest and all the smaller states would lose all their power if not for the Electoral College. All the power would be sacrificed to only the cities, who would then run the country.
However, the push for the removal of the Electoral College is because it is supposedly “undemocratic” and undermines “one person, one vote” established by the Supreme Court case, Reynolds vs. Sims. Furthermore, it is believed that the US Political System would lose its legitimacy as the Electoral College and Popular Vote results forge larger splits between the states and the people. The Electoral College is also said to weigh votes of swing state voters, while the “rural votes” are equal in the popular vote. The Electoral College puts the main power in the big states that give the most electoral votes, saying that power is dominated by only big states due to the Electoral College, completely contradicting the other point of view.
Overall, I cannot really pick a side on this issue. While I do lean more strongly towards getting rid of the Electoral College, it’s reasoning to be put in place is solid and those who are in favor of it do have fair points. Also, being Californian, we do have the benefit of those 55 electoral votes, so our voices really get heard either way. Basically, whether the Electoral College stays or goes, us Californians are still going to get what we want. It’s those Nebraskans and other “flyover” state inhabitants who should watch out.
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Interesting article! Also, I like how you say californians and nebraskans haha lol.I agree with you that by getting rid of the electoral college doesn't effect us that much because our voices still get heard. By getting rid of the electoral college, I think our voices would be heard even more because of "one person, one vote". The population is huge in california compared to most other states so it would make us seem overpowered.
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