The Electoral College, established by the U.S. Constitution shortly after the country was founded, is the mechanism used to elect the President. Each state is allocated a number of electors based on its congressional representation, and these electors cast votes for the presidential candidates. Overall, the Electoral College was founded on the outdated idea that the people weren’t educated enough to make their own rational decisions, and despite the fact that everyone knows this idea is completely outdated, the Electoral College exists to this day. It is because of this fact, along with several other reasons, that I think the Electoral College should be abolished and replaced with a popular vote instead.
To start, the Electoral College doesn’t follow the principle of “one person, one vote.” Voters in smaller states have disproportionately greater influence over the election outcome compared to those in larger states. For instance, a vote in Wyoming carries far more weight than a vote in California, giving smaller, less populated states more power in the electoral process. This inequality often leads candidates to focus their campaigns on a handful of battleground states, neglecting voters in states deemed “safe.” Consequently, millions of votes are rendered irrelevant, causing people to lose trust in the electoral process.
In addition to this, the Electoral College can lead to the election of a candidate who does not win the popular vote. Such outcomes cause more people to lose trust in the democratic process, as many citizens feel their votes didn’t count. This discrepancy between the popular vote and the Electoral College outcome undermines the foundation of democracy, where elected officials should represent the will of the majority, not the minority.
In conclusion, abolishing the Electoral College would create a more representative electoral system. By adopting a direct popular vote for presidential elections, we would ensure every citizen’s voice is valued equally, causing there to be greater political engagement and trust in our democratic institutions. A shift towards a more inclusive voting process would better reflect the will of the American people and strengthen the foundations of democracy in the United States.
