The Controversial Electoral College

Guest Author Grant Lingel

When it comes to electing a new president of the United States, one would imagine that it is the people of the country who choose the new official. Some may say that their vote really counts, but exactly how true is that belief? The Electoral College system is something most people have heard of but don’t really know that much about. To sum it up quickly in laymen’s terms, it takes the vote out of the hands of the people and gives it to the states.

According to the Constitution, the people are empowered to make a choice through popular election of the people who represent them in the US congress and their state legislatures. By doing so, the Electoral College is created and its members are the ones who choose the next president.

This doesn’t mean that your voice means nothing. This doesn’t mean that you don’t have any say in the presidential elections. The representatives of states in the Electoral College are supposed to vote the way the people of their state vote. This may not seem fair to some but when you are working with hundreds of millions of people, there needs to be some organization.

If the popular vote was all that mattered and was all that was necessary to elect a new president into the White House, eleven states could ultimately decide the new president and then thirty-nine other states would cry foul. I don’t necessarily agree with how the system works, but I do agree there should be some order. And this is the United States of America, not just America.

The only way that the Electoral College could be modified or done away with completely would be through a constitutional amendment. I believe the only way that something like this could happen would be if a president won the Electoral College vote while losing the popular vote. That has happened three times in history: in 1876 with Rutherford B. Hayes, shortly after in 1888 with Benjamin Harrison, and most recently in 2000 with George W. Bush. People were furious when Bush beat Al Gore and the eight years that followed were a disaster, leaving it clear in people’s minds that the Electoral College system is rather shady.

I’d be willing to bet that this year would be a lot different. Barack Obama is on his way to becoming our next president. He will win the popular vote and is looking very good in the Electoral College. With the lowest approval rating in history going to Bush right now, you can bet your bottom dollar that if McCain is elected without the popular vote this year, the United States of America will go up in smoke. I think there would be a call or two for some constitutional amending to be going on. There are too many people who care about this country too much to let the Bush Administration live on vicariously through the McCain Administration (just typing those words gave me the chills).

There are numerous arguments against the Electoral College. The most frequent of those arguments would be the chance of a president to be elected who didn’t win the popular vote. After asking around I found that people were also concerned with the Electoral College system because it may not accurately portray the true feelings of the population and so, the country. I’m sure sore as can be when watching McCain and Palin rallies and seeing all the hate and bigotry taking place. I surely don’t want to be cast alongside those hate-mongers if McCain wins the election. Because everybody knows the world will see us all like that if this country can’t change course and head in a new direction with Obama.

Barring that hypothetical scenario with McCain losing the popular but winning the presidency, the Electoral College isn’t the worst thing out there. There are very few positives about the way it works. A few examples of this would be how it improves the status of minority interests and it upholds a system of government and representation. However, I believe the system is flawed.

There is always a time for change. Now is the time, finally. The country is demanding change like crazy, be it from both sides of the aisle. Who is more honest and better qualified to lead us through that change? I believe the country, people and states alike, will make the right decision. I sure hope they will. And if for some horrible reason things go wrong and the popular vote goes to Obama while the Electoral goes to McCain, the only change people will be looking for (besides other countries to live in) will be a change to the system and an amendment to the Constitution.


Grant Lingel is a 25 year old from New York City. He is the author of, Imagine. A Vagabond Story. He currently works for AmeriCorps in Brooklyn and runs a daily blog from his home in Harlem.

http://grantlingel.blogspot.com