Since the framing of the Constitution, the act of electing a president has become firmly implemented as one of the most important political events in America. The Electoral College, established in the Constitution by James Madison, has survived over two centuries, helping decide the fates of over … elections (cite). In recent years, the College has been reintroduced to the criticisms of the public because of its ability to decide very intense elections. In the 2000 presidential election, Al Gore and George W. Bush had both earned a relatively equal amount of electoral votes in the Electoral College, but neither had a majority over 270 votes. Vote counting in Florida lasted long into the night, leaving the outcome of Florida’s electoral votes
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This is because one of the main functions of the Electoral College is to give voters from all around the nation a say in the election. Rural populations and states, such as Wyoming, which has only 563,626 people according to the U.S. Census Bureau (Census.gov), are empowered by the Electoral College even though they have significantly less people than other states. The Republican Party is able to gain traction in these rural areas where there are very low populations because of the voting power of small states given to them by the College. It allows these states to become more monumental deciders in the race for the Presidency. As well as allowing all voters to have a say, the College balances the size of large populations by distributing their votes more evenly than the population. It balances large Democratic populations, such as the states of New York, California, Washington, and Illinois. by reducing their voting power. Together, these states have a population of 76,187,230 according to the Census Bureau, comprising of almost 24% of the United States population (Census.gov). However, these states only have 116 electoral votes all together, decreasing their voting power to only 20% of the United States (Archives.gov). This maintains a healthy balance among the majority parties, countering the large population difference among both voter bases. By leveraging population size differences, the Electoral …show more content…
By giving small states the ability to have power in the election process, the Electoral College gives candidates a reason to focus their campaign on the entire country. It puts the country first, making candidates emphasize what they will do for the country to gain support from people of all backgrounds. As well as being the fairest way to elect a president, critics do not have a “perfect” plan to use once the Electoral College is abolished. A popular vote would be even more biased than the College, keeping large populations at the heart of elections. Popular votes would give Democratic voters the majority vote, leading to a one-sided political scheme. The fairness that the College emphasizes shows that it is the best process to fully involve the American people in politics without undermining the voting power of people
This is because one of the main functions of the Electoral College is to give voters from all around the nation a say in the election. Rural populations and states, such as Wyoming, which has only 563,626 people according to the U.S. Census Bureau (Census.gov), are empowered by the Electoral College even though they have significantly less people than other states. The Republican Party is able to gain traction in these rural areas where there are very low populations because of the voting power of small states given to them by the College. It allows these states to become more monumental deciders in the race for the Presidency. As well as allowing all voters to have a say, the College balances the size of large populations by distributing their votes more evenly than the population. It balances large Democratic populations, such as the states of New York, California, Washington, and Illinois. by reducing their voting power. Together, these states have a population of 76,187,230 according to the Census Bureau, comprising of almost 24% of the United States population (Census.gov). However, these states only have 116 electoral votes all together, decreasing their voting power to only 20% of the United States (Archives.gov). This maintains a healthy balance among the majority parties, countering the large population difference among both voter bases. By leveraging population size differences, the Electoral …show more content…
By giving small states the ability to have power in the election process, the Electoral College gives candidates a reason to focus their campaign on the entire country. It puts the country first, making candidates emphasize what they will do for the country to gain support from people of all backgrounds. As well as being the fairest way to elect a president, critics do not have a “perfect” plan to use once the Electoral College is abolished. A popular vote would be even more biased than the College, keeping large populations at the heart of elections. Popular votes would give Democratic voters the majority vote, leading to a one-sided political scheme. The fairness that the College emphasizes shows that it is the best process to fully involve the American people in politics without undermining the voting power of people