The 2016 election highlighted a fundamental paradox in American Democracy. A candidate can win the popular vote, but lose the election. This is due to the electoral college, a system established by the constitution to elect the President and Vice President. When citizens cast their vote, they are actually voting for a block of electors, who are pledged to vote for the Presidential Candidate. In simple terms, you are telling your State which candidate you want them to vote for at the meeting of electors.
The electoral college was established to balance the influence of populous states with less populous ones, ensuring all Americans have an equal say in the election. This encourages candidates for president to campaign in diverse regions, which would otherwise be overlooked.
However, this system has shortcomings. The winner-takes-all system in most states means that millions of voters can feel that their vote is wasted, particularly in states that lean radically to one party. This can lead to people not participating in our elections, as citizens could feel that their individual vote does not matter on the national scale, as their voice is drowned out by millions of others.
Rather than abolishing the Electoral College, we should consider reforms that enhance its representation. One possible solution is to expand the electoral college to a congressional district level, which means that instead of each state having all its electoral votes go to the candidate who wins the statewide popular vote, electoral votes would be allocated based on results in congressional districts. This would mean introducing more electoral votes, reflecting the percentage of voters each candidate receives in their state. This would ensure that each vote carries weight and would encourage broader participation across the electorate and nation.
In conclusion, the Electoral College has flaws, but it serves an important purpose in American democracy. Rather than getting rid of a functional system, we can reform it to better represent the people, ensuring that every voter has a voice while preserving our electoral process.
