The Influence Of The Electoral College

Most people would agree that the ability to vote is one of the most potent ways for an American citizen to participate in the government. From electing state representatives to US senators, the American population chooses who is to govern them. But that is not the case when it comes to the election of the President. That job is left to appointed electors who are influenced by their own thoughts, their political parties and the popular vote of the nation in their decision of who is to be the president of the United States. Over the years of presidential elections the candidate who wins the popular vote additionally wins the electoral college votes. But that all transmuted in 1824 when Andrew Jackson won the popular vote but had lost the president seat to John Quincy Adams. An …show more content…
Gore and Bush v. Palm Beach County Canvassing Board, Bush was able to stop the recount of the Florida ballots and thus win the presidency while losing the popular vote. However, many Americans began to lose faith in the electoral college as it did not follow the voice of the popular vote. To fuel the flames even more, the recent 2016 presidential election had also ended in Hillary Clinton losing the presidency but winning the popular vote. Consequently, the Electoral College has been under an incursion of divergent opinions on its existence. Some Americans believe that the Electoral College must be abolished and that a popular vote needs to be taken into effect to elect the president so that the majority is heard. Others feel that the EC is still an effective of electing the president and that amending the Constitution is unnecessary as a popular vote will then reduce the minorities influence in elections. Although some believe that Electoral College should always follow the majority opinion, this procedure is not as effective as the conventional Electoral College. Therefore, the Electoral College is still an effective way of electing the