“the_Electoral_College_System_Is_in_Urgent_Need_of_Reform.”_Why_Has_This_Been_Difficult_to_Achieve_and_to_What_Extent_Is_It_Needed.

The Electoral College can be defined as a body of electors chosen by the voters in each state to elect the president and vice-president of America. Under the Electoral College system, it is possible for a candidate to loose the nationwide popular vote, yet to be elected by winning in only 11 key states. As a result of this, the Electoral College system effectively removes the power to select the American president form the hands of the American people. When writing the constitution the founding fathers intended that the state not the people, select the president. The feared that placing unlimited power to select the president into the politically naive hands of the people could lead to a “tyranny of the majority.” However, recent arguments from critics state that by taking the selection of the president out of the hands of the public at large, the Electoral College system defies the ideologies of democracy and is in need of urgent reform. For this to happen first a presidential candidate must lose the nationwide popular vote, but be elected in the Electoral College. This has only happened twice in the last 213 years: In 1876, republican Rutherford B. Hayes, with 4,036,298 popular votes won 185 electoral votes. His main opponent, Democrat Samuel J. Tilden, won the popular vote with 4,300,590 votes, but only won 184 electoral votes. Hayes was elected president. Similarly, in 1888 Republican Benjamin Harrison, with 5,439,853 popular votes won 233 electoral votes. His main opponent, Democrat Grover Cleveland, won the popular vote with 5,540,309 votes, but won only 168 electoral votes. Harrison was elected president. Secondly, the constitutional amendment must gain a two-thirds vote from both houses of congress and be ratified by three-fourths of the states. It is unlikely that either the Republicans or the Democrats would hold a strong majority of seats in Congress. As the constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds vote from both houses, it must have strong bi-partisan support, which it will not get from a split Congress. Support in Congress is vital as the president cannot veto a constitutional amendment. To be ratified and become effective, a constitutional amendment must also be approved by the legislatures of 39 out of the 50 states. The Electoral College system grants the states the power to elect the president of the United States. It is highly unlikely that 39 states are going to vote to give up this power; this is due to the fact that 12 states control 53% of the votes in the Electoral College, leaving only 38 states that might even consider ratification. However, despite all the difficulties there are many benefits to reform of the Electoral College. Were reform to happen, the Electoral College would better reflect the will of the American voter, as well as being seen as more representative that it is today. Likewise, the minority candidates would receive Electoral College votes, although possibly at a somewhat lower level than their popular vote, encouraging the introduction of third parties into the American presidential race. Supporters of third-[arty candidates would be more likely to actually vote for them, since there would be a real chance of the candidate receiving some votes in the Electoral College. This in turn would help benefit the dissolving of the two part systems within American politics. In the last 213 years it has been alive, the Electoral College has only produced two bad results, leading to the election of Thomas Jefferson and Quincy Adams. This pristine track record, combined with the difficulty of acting an amendment to the constitution concludes that it is better to retain the Electoral College at its present state, instead of campaigning for reform.