Nov 30, 2016 clearly, these people do not understand that the electoral college is the most undemocratic part of our democracy. Dec 02, 2016 what i do resent is that the electoral college, except for maine and nebraska, is a statebystate winner take all, rather than being divided up proportionally. The electoral college inadvertently reinforces this two party system, where third parties cannot enter the race without being tagged as spoilers. Nov 08, 2016 thanks to the current system, small states are given much more weight and candidates only bother to show up in a few tightly contested states. Nov 09, 2016 democracy in america lost when the winnertakeall system became a fundamental part of the electoral process. In the 626page book npv supporters have authored, the voting rights act is. In fact, people do not even technically vote for a candidate, they vote for electors who are pledged but not required to vote for a candidate when the electoral college convenes. The electoral college system, when combined with the winnertakeall rule, tends to magnify the margin of victory, giving the victor a certain and demonstrable election outcome. Democracy in america lost when the winnertakeall system became a fundamental part of the electoral process. Hence the chorus of denunciation the electoral college is undemocratic. Winner take all system explained flashcards quizlet. Hillary clinton blamed the electoral college for her stunning defeat in the 2016 presidential election in her latest memoirs, what happened. In defense of the electoral college its undemocratic and thats good matt christiansen.
In defense of the electoral college national affairs. Explain one way in which the winnertakeall feature of the electoral college affects how presidential candidates from the two major parties run their campaign. Challenging our nations malapportioned, undemocratic. The electoral college is an antidemocratic institution. Explain why some people say that the winner take all system. Discontent with the electoral college is a real factor in america. Winnertakeall is contrasted with proportional representation, in which more than one political party or group can elect offices in proportion to their voting power winnertakeall voting methods. Thats why the candidates spend so much time and money campaigning in electoral gold mines like california, texas and new york and relatively little time in montana.
Robert hardaway first looks at the constitutional convention, the twelfth amendment, and historical elections where the electoral college has come into play, providing the historical background to the presentday college. Critics of the electoral college insist that it is undemocratic since it is possible for the winner of the popular vote to lose the electoral college majority and therefore be defeated in the election. Some argue its an unfair system because it allows for. He notes, the electoral college poses a real potential for deadlock page 61. Because the president is the only nationally elected official, the prize of the winning the presidency keeps the two parties from splitting. What is the winnertakesall rule in the presidential. Winnertakeall or winnertakesall is an electoral system in which a single political party or group can elect every office within a given district or jurisdiction.
Opinion end winnertakeall in the electoral college the. Electoral college is undemocratic des moines register. The electoral college is an undemocratic mess whowhatwhy. They say the electoral college system, as opposed to a simple majority vote, distorts the oneperson, onevote principle of. All states except for maine and nebraska follow a winnertakesall approach in. But the present electoral college, with its pledged delegates and winner take all nonsense, is simply indefensible. The electoral college is an outdated, undemocratic system that does not reflect our modern society, and it needs to change immediately. The electoral college has overruled the popular vote for the second time in the last five presidential elections. Dec, 2016 a group of 29 electoral college members have requested an intelligence briefing on how russia interfered with the u. What accounts for this electoral oddity is the winnertakeall provision of the electoral college. The electoral college is unfairly weighted towards the smaller states as well.
A winnertakeall system within states can produce results counter to the. The winner is picked not by the laws of elections but by the serendipity of the casino. Will barbara boxer succeed in abolishing the electoral. What i do resent is that the electoral college, except for maine and nebraska, is a statebystate winnertakeall, rather than being divided up proportionally. In part b the response earned 1 point for explaining how the winnertakeall system affects how. Some argue its an unfair system because it allows for the possibility that the candidate. Democrats have been ready to ditch it for at least. The national popular vote, explained brennan center for justice. Opinion end winnertakeall in the electoral college. Blacker, has said repeatedly that there is no command that the states choose their presidential electors in one way only. Unconstitutional and unfair to voters in 48 states they are unfair to republicans and democrats alike, and dont need a constitutional amendment to fix. But generally, it does result in 1 landslides getting dangerously closer, 2 normalsized wins. The electoral college is a strange mechanism, created to avert imaginary dangers, that violates basic democratic principles for no good reason. In summary, a winnertakeall system of allocating electors by the states denies the minority of voters within each state any representation whatsoever within the electoral college and.
And a lurking mystery is whether electors really have to do. Gale offers an overview of the electoral college, derived from scholarly sources. The equal protection argument against winner take all in. A group of 29 electoral college members have requested an intelligence briefing on how russia interfered with the u. The winnertakesall system makes sense, especially when it comes to the ways electors are bound to vote for the states they represent. Electoral college change from winnertakeall system gains. Yet, the electoral college and the winnertakeall rule employed by most states isnt without controversy. Our electoral college system is weird and not in a good.
While others may say that america is a republic, the voting system is advertised as democratic, and therefore should be. Winnertakeall electoral practice faces voterrights challenge. In part a the response earned 1 point for describing the winnertakeall system of the electoral college. Without the winnertakeall provision of the electoral college, america would likely have a multipleparty system, since there would be less reason to support one of the two major partys candidates. Clearly, these people do not understand that the electoral college is the most undemocratic part of our democracy. Nov 19, 2016 in defense of the electoral college its undemocratic and thats good matt christiansen. Some have claimed that the electoral college is one of the most dangerous institutions in american politics. Nov 14, 2016 for the second time in 16 years and for the fourth time in u. Mar 26, 2018 if the proportional system of naming electors to the electoral college had been in place during the 2016 election, vera said, clinton who won the national popular vote by nearly 2. This is where we get to the irony of the whole thing. Nov 03, 2016 the winner takes all system makes sense, especially when it comes to the ways electors are bound to vote for the states they represent. How the winnertakeall system is undemocratic 2002 the film archives. But the present electoral college, with its pledged delegates and winnertakeall.
The electoral college is antidemocraticand thats a good. The electoral college continues to provide all these benefits to our country. Thanks to the current system, small states are given much more weight and candidates only bother to show up in a few tightly contested states. Comparatively, individuals in wyoming have nearly four times the power in the electoral college as californians. Jan 29, 20 the 1892 ruling, in fact, upheld a decision by the michigan legislature to switch from a winnertakeall to a districtbydistrict system. For the second time in 16 years and for the fourth time in u. If the proportional system of naming electors to the electoral college had been in place during the 2016 election, vera said, clinton who won the national popular vote by nearly 2. This creates a situation where, sometimes, conservative americans migrate to republican states like texas and liberal americans migrate to democratic states. Why the national popular vote plan is the wrong way to. The electoral college was initially created as a mechanism to allow a panel of learned citizens to override the will of the people if the. The winner takes all system is also the reason we have what. According to mulroy, the electoral college, internal senate rules and single member winnertakeall districts have led to undemocratic. What i am not okay with is the silly winnertakesall system that most states use. Feb 21, 2018 civil rights activists are challenging the legality of four states winnertakeall method of allocating u.
He made the argument for these reforms and others in his books 10 steps to repair american democracy 2006, fixing elections. A democracy serves the people but the winner take all only voices the electoral voters. The electoral college in its original form was admirable. They took their first step in february 2018 by filing. Nov 08, 2016 the electoral college is an antidemocratic institution. Winnertakeall electoral practice faces voterrights. Another responder writes that i think the electoral college can be salvaged by eliminating the winner take all system. M any people whine that using the electoral college instead of the popular vote and majority rule is undemocratic. Because of the winner takes all system the electoral college employs, the 4.
The electoral college has 538 members, and each state has the same number of electors as it does house and senate seats. In summary, a winner take all system of allocating electors by the states denies the minority of voters within each state any representation whatsoever within the electoral college and. A trouble prone and undemocratic system the electoral college is an institution that may have served a purpose 200 years ago when the founding fathers needed a system that would be met with approval by both large and small states. The flaw with the electoral college in the united states. It is not fair for the presidential only needing to win the. They meticulously scan the cvs of all the candidates, read their books and. The electoral college is not democratic vanity fair. Surprisingly, the proportional system only definitively changes the result of the 1996 election and may affect the 1968 election. The electoral college keep it, but reform it britannica blog. An electoral college map from the 1976 carterford campaign that. Nov 15, 2012 the electoral college is a strange mechanism, created to avert imaginary dangers, that violates basic democratic principles for no good reason. We structure everything in our political system around the idea of a federation. The failure of americas winner take all politics steven hill.
The electoral college is profoundly undemocratic by design. I have never heard any defense of it, let alone a good one. As a result of the winner take all system, five presidents have been elected through the electoral college despite losing in the popular vote. The electoral college is a classic chaotic system a slight change in initial conditions can result in profoundly different outcomes october surprises butterfly ballot in florida, 2000 support the national popular vote interstate compact, oregon hb2729, sb823824. But the most significant constitutional point is that the supreme court, beginning with a decision in 1892 in the case of mcpherson v. Civil rights activists are challenging the legality of four states winnertakeall method of allocating u. Starting from the premise the electoral college has a wide range of advantages and disadvantages for american policy edwards precedes to focus on the problems with the 18th century presidential election system. In defense of the electoral college its undemocratic. In the smallest state, wyoming, each elector represents 200,000 people. As you wait for election results to come in, watch these three short videos to learn more about the electoral college and the mess it is. An idea for electoral college reform that both parties. Explain one way in which the winner take all feature of the electoral college affects how presidential candidates from the two major parties run their campaign. The 1892 ruling, in fact, upheld a decision by the michigan legislature to switch from a winnertakeall to a districtbydistrict system. Oct 18, 2016 the electoral college has 538 members, and each state has the same number of electors as it does house and senate seats.
Nov 01, 2004 the electoral college system, when combined with the winner take all rule, tends to magnify the margin of victory, giving the victor a certain and demonstrable election outcome. Explain why some people say that the winner take all system of the electoral college is undemocratic. The electoral college is one of the most undemocratic features of u. No further attempts to reform, amend, or abolish the electoral college system have. Nov 03, 2016 yet, the electoral college and the winner take all rule employed by most states isnt without controversy. Nov 17, 2016 the electoral college has overruled the popular vote for the second time in the last five presidential elections.
In defense of the electoral college its undemocratic and. This study examines how the electoral college actually works, how it is supposed to work, and how it might be reformed. With only two states maine and nebraska proportionally represented, our nation has been taken over by the duopoly we know as the twoparty system. The electoral college tends to be unsupported because it is not understood. The winner take all system of the electoral college is undemocratic because it is does not voice the majority of people. The party system has completely hijacked the electoral college system. And the core principle of that decision that it is up to the states to choose the method was reaffirmed by the court in its decision in bush v. Explain why some people say that the winner take all.
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