Electoral College Vs Popular Vote Essay Research free essay sample

Electoral College Vs. Popular Vote. Essay, Research Paper Electoral College Vs. Popular Vote. When given this assignment I had no hint what subject I might take. I waited and waited until the recent elections blew up in my face. This past election was a learning experience for me because I merely turned 18. This was the first twelvemonth I could of all time vote and a eldritch election like this occurred. I noticed how many people were really really disturbed with how Gore won the popular ballot but will most probably lose the election merely because he couldn # 8217 ; t win adequate electoral ballots in one province. The Electoral College was designed in 1787 at the Constitutional Convention. A assortment of thoughts were originally brought to attending. Two important and extremely regarded options were a ) Congress selects the President and B ) the popular ballot. Both thoughts were disregarded. Having Congress elect the President would give the legislative assembly complete control over him ( 6: 159-162 ) . The thought of the people and merely the people voting for the President was eliminated because the establishing male parents of the U.S. Government felt that normal people would non be able to vote for the best President in an intelligent mode. Despite the fact that many of the original convention members thought that the popular ballot would be the best option, there were still excessively many that opposed the thought ( Glennon 7 ) . George Mason, a former political officer in the 1800 # 8217 ; s, states that a it would be # 8220 ; as unnatural to mention the pick of a proper character for main Magistrate to the people, as it would, to mention a test of colorss to a blind adult male # 8221 ; ( qtd. In Glennon 7 ) . I became really interested about the whole system of the college and thought that I could show an statement about how it # 8217 ; s truly out-of-date and could utilize a large alteration. And so the Electoral College is created. It is made up of voters from all of the provinces in the state. The voters from each province are what we the people really vote for in the November elections ( # 8220 ; Electoral College # 8221 ; ) . Each province can hold no less than 3 voters. This is because they get an voter for every chair they fill in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Because all provinces have two Senate members and at least one House member, we see why. All together, including all of our state # 8217 ; s provinces we have an Electoral College consisting of 538 members. In order for a campaigner to really go the President he must obtain at least 270 electoral ballots, giving him the bulk plus one ( Glennon 19 ) . Because we use the Electoral College, it has come to happen on legion occasions that a campaigner with a higher per centum of the popular ballot is defeated by his political opposition by the electoral run ( Glennon 19 ) , therefore get the better ofing the intent of a Democracy. A Democracy exists if we the people have # 8220 ; the right to self- governance. # 8221 ; # 8220 ; American # 8216 ; democracy # 8217 ; has existed for over 200 old ages, and citizens are ready, as they have been for decennaries, if non centuries, to eventually command their ain state # 8221 ; ( # 8220 ; Electoral College Problems # 8221 ; ) . Therefore the usage of the Electoral College is wholly useless and should be abandoned to the thought of the popular ballot. If non wholly thrown out, so altered by an amendment. Under the signifier of the present college, it is noticeable that about all of the 3rd party campaigners are non even glanced at. Most people don # 8217 ; t even know their names or what party they come from. Many people still find no job with the ways of the college. Enthusiasts of the College point out that it has no budget what so of all time, and truly has no manner to # 8220 ; support itself. # 8221 ; Many besides argue that if the authorities were as efficient we would be much better off. If the Electoral College were non established, campaigners these yearss would most likely skip over the provinces that don # 8217 ; Ts have a important figure of electoral ballots. For illustration, the District of Columbia, which has the lower limit of three ballots. Andrew Spano, a Westchester County executive provinces that # 8220 ; The system forces you to run all over the U.S. as you try to roll up electoral ballots # 8230 ; It fits with the diverseness of our state # 8221 ; ( Yanc ey ) . The Federal System is supposed to hold the power. The people are non the Federal system, the provinces are the Federal system. Anti-electoral citizens believe that they should hold control of who becomes the president. They point out that under the present Electoral College mentality, every individual in the United States that ballots, is fundamentally blowing their clip. In an article found on the World Wide Web, it states that, in the Presidential election, # 8220 ; single ballots are non even tallied # 8221 ; ( # 8220 ; Electoral College Problems # 8221 ; ) . In regard to the # 8220 ; 3rd # 8221 ; party campaigners, the Electoral College gives them perfectly no opportunity of winning. This comes away because even if a elector likes one of the # 8220 ; 3rd # 8221 ; party campaigners the best, he or she will non vote for them because they think it will be a otiose ballot. This is rather true because if they do vote for the campaigner he will more frequently than non even have one electoral ballot. For illustration, in 1992, Ross Perot, a member of the Reform Party received this really bad luck. Desp ite the fact that he won 12 % of the popular ballot, he failed to obtain a individual electoral ballot ( # 8220 ; Electoral College Problems # 8221 ; ) . This demonstrates the really # 8220 ; faltering block # 8221 ; that the Electoral College has become. It is best summed up with another quotation mark found on the Citizens for True Democracy web site. # 8220 ; The Electoral College is non deserving salvaging # 8221 ; ( # 8220 ; Electoral College Problems # 8221 ; ) . The disadvantages of the Electoral system are obvious. On top of the above listed jobs found with the system at that place comes another. As stated B efore, many people won’t even vote for their favourite campaigner sometimes if he/ she may be in a â€Å"third† party. Many times, these parties fail to happen in provinces that, more frequently than non, are controlled by one specific party. Whether a province has three ballots or 33 ballots, its electoral electors are merely supposed to vote for the campaigner they have been pledged to ( 6: 159 -162 ) . This means, in the 2000 election for illustration, that if an electoral elector from Florida wants Gore to win he has to vote for Bush anyhow. He has made a promise that he will vote for Bush and merely Bush. Despite this promise, many of the electors still may vote for the individual they feel will suit the place best. It doesn’t go on excessively frequently ( â€Å"Electoral College† ) . But if it does you can non state who has done it because ballots are cast on nameless ballots ( Longely 103 ) . In many of our states past elections, the Electoral College has demonstrated its capacity to give the win to the existent also-ran. For illustration, in 1888 Grover Cleveland was the victor of the popular ballot by merely about 100,000 ballots. His opposition Benjamin Harrison won the election because of his win in the electoral ballots. This besides happened in 1876 when Rutherford B. Hayes stole the election from Samuel J. Tilden ( 6: 159 -162 ) . These illustrations demonstrate why the Electoral College should be either eliminated or at least controlled. Because of these failures of the Electoral College, legion options have been thought through to forestall farther complications. Since the Electoral College is in the Constitution, it would take an amendment to make any alteration what so of all time. If we could alter to a direct popular ballot, many 3rd parties may emerge into the running ( # 8220 ; Electoral College # 8221 ; ) . Ideas that have been introduced have been seeking to work since when it was foremost created. If the Electoral College were to be wholly demolished the construct of direct election would be the best manner to travel. Under this signifier, all citizens who are eligible would vote for the campaigner they feel best fits the place. If we have sixty million people that can vote in the United States a campaigner would necessitate thirty million plus one to win ( Glennon 19 ) . Under this option, the ca mpaigner that the bulk of the people want as president will really go the President. The other will non somehow weasel his manner out of it. In two provinces, the Electoral College has already had its entire power limited. Maine and Nebraska have their ain small program. The thought of popular ballot is used in these two provinces. In Maine there are four electoral ballots. Three belong to the major statewide popular ballot victor and the other goes to the campaigner who wins the second congressional territory. In both countries, whoever wins the popular ballot gets some of the electoral ballots ( Curry ) . We have been talking about altering it for old ages and eventually it # 8217 ; s such a large issue. It was really interesting how this happened merely as I was old plenty to vote. I know that if I were still non old plenty I wouldn # 8217 ; t care as much. I would be really caught up in the whole state of affairs but would non mind. Now that I have voted I feel that I am still excluded along with everyone else in the state that casts their ballot. It reminds me of how undistinguished I am in the procedure. Because of this I agree with those who want a alteration. In my sentiment I feel that holding the Electoral College is bad, but non what is keeping us down the most. The winner-takes-all map is a major job. If we can somehow acquire that to fall apart our elections will work much better. The # 8220 ; Electoral College # 8221 ; under its present signifier has got to travel. If a campaigner wins the popular ballot he should finally be declared the people # 8217 ; s favourite an d hence should non hold to cover with being voted out by a cockamamie electoral ballot. If we can somehow compromise the state of affairs I think that our state will profit the greatest. Let # 8217 ; s say for illustration that if a campaigner wins 65 % of the ballots in a given province, he will besides have 65 % of the electoral ballots. This manner, holding no winner-takes-all system, the campaigner who wins the popular ballot will win the electoral ballot besides. So we won # 8217 ; Ts have to cover with all of the past jobs that we as a state have had. # 8220 ; Electoral College Problems. # 8221 ; Citizens for True Democracy 1998-2000 # 8220 ; Your Vote Does Not Count! You Can Thank the Electoral College. # 8221 ; Citizens for True Democracy.1998-2000 Curry, Tom. # 8220 ; Making Sense of the Electoral College: How the indirect, intricate system works. # 8221 ; MSNBC. Enrich, David. # 8220 ; 2000 Presidential Campaign Showcases Electoral College Problems. # 8221 ; Citizens for True Democracy 23 October 2000 Glennon, Michael J. When No Majority Rules: The Electoral College Presidential Sequence. Washington, D.C. : Congressional Quarterly Inc. , 1992. Kesler, Charles R. The Federalist Papers. Ed. Clinton Rossiter. New York: Penguin Inc. , 1961. Longely, Lawrence D. , and Neal R. Peirce. The Electoral College Primer. New Haven: Yale University, 1996. MacBride, Roger L. The American Electoral College. Idaho: Caxton Printers, 1953. Margasak, Larry. # 8220 ; Florida Voters take to Web. # 8221 ; Times Union 10 Nov. 2000: A16 # 8220 ; Electoral College. # 8221 ; Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia. 2000. 10 Nov. 2000 Wechsler, Alan. # 8220 ; Election Drama a Great Lesson. # 8221 ; Times Union 10 Nov. 2000: A16 # 8220 ; Electoral College. # 8221 ; The World Book Encyclopedia. 1990 erectile dysfunction. Yancey, Roy. # 8220 ; States # 8217 ; Gore Electors Question Electoral College system. # 8221 ; Times Union 10 Nov. 2000: A9