The Electoral College should not be abolished, because if it is then the election process would collapse. The Electoral College was created because “normal citizens” were not deemed worth of voting because they would not know what or who they were voting for. The system is built in a way that is complicated, but it works, here is how it works: all US states and DC get one electoral vote for each of their US Senators and Representatives. The Representatives’ votes are determined by the decennial census, and the US Senators have 2 per state. There are 538 votes in the Electoral College and all the candidate needs to get to win is 270 votes.
This is a system that has been around since the Constitutional Convention, so why is there any reason to change it. The reason that it has been around for so long is because the Electoral College was made so that the two major political parties would have an advantage against the minority or third parties. They did this because the third parties focus too much on one issue and that would be disastrous for our government. But third parties do deserve to still be in the Electoral College but not win, they bring up important issues that candidates can focus on such as the environment(Green Party) and reform(Reform Party).
The Electoral College also created presidential campaigns so that candidates could inform people on what their platform was. The Electoral College gives power to small states by giving the smallest states (and D. C. )3 votes. 3 votes does not seem like much but they usually turn the tides. This is why the Electoral College needs to stay. The Electoral College has forged political parties and presidential campaigns. “It has formed our political parties, moderated our more extreme elements, and forged the presidential campaigns that have given direction to our ship of state”as stated in Document C.
The Electoral College has formed the two major political parties the Republicans and Democrats. It has also created third parties that bring up important issues that are not normally brought up by the Republicans or Democrats’ platform. These issues that are not brought up normally may show some candidates’ weak points and show some strong points. The Electoral College also has forged the familiar presidential campaign that shows the public who and what they are voting for in the presidential elections. If the Electoral College never happened, then there would be no Republicans and Democrats.
There would be no third parties to bring up important issues. There would be no presidential campaigns to inform the public of who and what they are voting for. The Electoral College gives power to the small states. “12 states and DC equals 44 votes and Illinois has 20 votes” as stated in Document D. The Electoral College still gives power to small states, because 12 states and DC have 12,500,722 people and 44 Electoral votes. Illinois has 12,830,632 people and 20 votes, so small states still have some power. It’s not a perfect system but it gives power to the small states.
The small states are also known to turn tides in close elections, which might lead to targeting small states. If the Electoral College never happened then presidential candidates would not try to target and small states because they would have the same votes as any other state. If the Electoral College is abolished then the election process will collapse. “The multiplication of splinter parties would make it hard for major party candidates to win popular-vote majorities” as stated in Document E. If the Electoral College is abolished then third parties will be able to win the popular vote.
If the third parties will be able to win the popular vote. If the third parties are able to win the popular vote then they might win the presidency and the country will be run by a person that focuses on one issue and that would not be a good combination. The reason that these third parties will win is because different election processes will allow third parties to win. If the Electoral College never happened, then we would not only not have Republicans and Democrats. But also have a different political party candidates in office every four years.
Although, there is some bias for heavily populated states, because they get more votes than smaller populated states. The Electoral College needs no change because it gives power to small states in the US Senate. The Electoral College needs no change because if it is changed there would be no Republicans and Democrats. There would be no presidential campaigns to inform the public. The small states would not have as much power as they have in the Electoral College. If the Electoral College never existed we would be run by a third party. The Electoral College is a great election process that has been around for so long, that it needs no change.
