What did they learn about the American system of electing the president from these elections? Under the current structure of the electoral college, the focus of a presidential campaign is on the so-called battleground states. Richards earned a master's degree at Carnegie Mellon University. Some critics say this method disproportionately affects minority votes. 5 terms. But . When you vote for a presidential candidate, you are actually voting for a group of electors from your state who have all pledged to vote for your candidate. Analyzes how william j.d. Disadvantages of the NPV Interstate Compact. This outdated institution creates unnecessary . National popular vote - frequently asked questions It could encourage voter turnout. NCSL actively tracks more than 1,400 issue areas. There would be fewer opportunities to illegally alter the results of an election. The National Popular Vote effort is now halfway to its goal of electing future presidents via the popular vote, after Rhode Island . They voted for a variety of candidates not on the ballot: Bernie Sanders, Colin Powell and Ron Paul, among others. on WordPress.com. Should that happen, then the final decision of who gets to serve as President of the United States is taken away from individual voters. The obvious reason to keep raising the debt ceiling is that it avoids defaulting on the nation's debts. During the 2012 elections, 38 states, also known as spectator states, were ignored and forgotten. A proposal has been made to restore the one person one vote principle without having to change the Constitution which involves an interstate compact. Longley, Robert. When you cast your ballot, you're not actually voting directly for your favored presidential candidate. Without any sort of broad support, the politics of the country could become even more fractured than they already are. This advance is referred to as the winner-take-all approach. She graduated magna cum laude from Brandeis University with bachelor's degrees in creative writing, English/American literature and international studies. That still faces an uphill climb, though. Home| Government| Elections| Electoral College| Electoral College Pros And Cons. Electoral College and National Popular Vote Pros and Cons Four candidates in history have won the popular vote only to be denied the presidency by the Electoral College. Explain that Donald Trump won 304 electoral votes to Hillary Clintons 227. Currently, the National Popular Vote bill has 172 electoral votes. 1. President Trump had earned 232 electoral . To determine the National Popular Vote winner, state election officials simply would tally the nationwide vote for president based on each states official results. Bush and Al Gore (Black). Students share their findings. New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, Hear from two columnists with different political ideologies discuss the week in politics, Hear New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart join Geoff Bennett to discuss the week in politics. Some states list electors names on the general election ballot. Should the Electoral College stay or go? - PBS NewsHour Classroom 6. NCSLs experts are here to answer your questions and give you unbiased, comprehensive information as soon as you need it on issues facing state legislatures. The important number is 270. That means some voters, like Republicans in California or Democrats in Mississippi, are voting without power and without attention from their preferred candidates each year. PDF The Direct Election Plan - tesd.net They will do as promised if the candidates do a very good job vetting them and picking people who are rock-solid, Professor Amar said. While it has provided a stable and predictable framework for presidential elections, it has also produced several controversial outcomes. And in all states but Maine and Nebraska, the candidate who receives the most votes in that state is awarded all of its electoral votes, whether the split is 51% to 49% or 99% to 1%. Each state is allowed one elector for each of its Representatives and Senators in Congress. Under the electoral college system of voting, the number of representatives a state has in Congress (Senators and Representatives) is the total number of electoral votes it is allowed. The official general election results indicate that Trump received 304 Electoral College votes and 46.09% of the popular vote (62,984,825 votes), and Hillary Clinton received 227 Electoral College votes and 48.18% of the popular vote (65,853,516 votes). The electoral college encourages a two-party system and rewards candidates who have broad appeal. In Election 2000, the eight most populous states had 228. Mayors, governors, and senators are all elected by a simple majority. That offers the possibility that someone unwilling or unable to hold the office could be elected. Even the minority party wouldnt be encouraged to negotiate because they could simply stall until the next election. This new series from the AP is dedicated to answering commonly asked questions from our audience about the 2020 U.S. presidential election. 4 terms. It only takes five people with life tenure to actually amend this Constitution through a judicial opinion, she said. More attention is given to the swing states, such as Florida and Iowa, which causes the third problem the Electoral College can cause. For the popular vote, however, Hillary Clinton received 65.8 million votes, while Donald Trump received 62.9 million votes. The National Association of Plan Advisors is a non-profit professional society. In 2016, Hillary Clinton had more than 10 million of these votes, while Donald Trump had more than 8.3 million, even though Trump won 30 states and Clinton won 20 and the District of Columbia. These are the states that may go to either major party candidate in the election. What surprised them? In the 2016 election, only 58 percent of eligible voters went to the polls. Due to some states being heavily populated in comparison to others, that may help a candidate quickly obtain a win. BY . In U.S. history, the electoral college winner has failed to secure the popular vote 5 times. Policy Research In a stark example, sparsely populated Wyoming has three votes and a population of about 580,000, giving its individual voters far more clout in the election than their millions of counterparts in densely populated states like Florida, California and New York. Explain that each state and the District of Columbia are given a share of the electoral vote based on population. Battleground states would disappear in U.S. elections. This text is available online and is used for gudiance and inspiration, We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. A direct popular election also ensures that citizens' votes have equal weight. It would reduce the threshold necessary to win the office. Prevents disputed outcomes ensuring a peaceful transition of power Reduces the costs of national presidential campaigns. The National Popular Vote, Explained | Brennan Center for Justice popular vote pros and cons-shootings in south dallasshootings in south dallas What can they conclude from these elections? But she lost the presidency due to Trumps winning margin in the Electoral College, which came after he pulled out narrow victories in less populated Midwestern states like Michigan and Wisconsin. Some states, such as California and Hawaii, both had their bills vetoed by their governors before it was overridden and enacted by state legislators. To pass an amendment to change the Constitution the Founding Fathers wisely required approval by 2/3 of both houses of Congress and 3/4 of the state legislatures instead of a simple majority. The NPV Interstate Compact does not eliminate the very complicated Electoral College system that most voters dont really understand. Sets found in the same folder. A direct popular election would make it more possible for third-party candidates to succeed and would also encourage political parties to become more radical and extreme. 2023 by National Conference of State Legislatures, NCSL 50-State Searchable Bill Tracking Databases, Supreme Court to Reexamine Use of Civil Asset Forfeiture. on Advantages and Disadvantages of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, Follow All U.S. Citizens Should Vote. A special commission named by the House chose Hayes over Samuel J. Tilden, after 20 electoral votes in Florida, Louisiana and South Carolina were disputed. In 2016, for instance, Democrat Hillary Clinton received nearly 2.9 million more votes than Trump in the presidential election, after racking up more lopsided wins in big states like New York and California. Pennsylvania is tied between Republican and Democratic representatives, and Michigan has seven Democrats, six Republicans and one independent. popular vote pros and cons - sky-cover.co.uk Hence, the National Popular Vote plan is an interstate compact a type of state law authorized by the U.S. Constitution that enables states to enter into a legally enforceable, contractual obligation to undertake agreed joint actions, which may be delayed in implementation until a requisite number of states join in. After the 2000 election, a majority of Americans favored . ThoughtCo, Feb. 17, 2021, thoughtco.com/electoral-college-pros-and-cons-4686409. Common Cause The nations founders hoped to quell the formation of powerful factions and political parties, and they wanted a mechanism that did not rely solely on popular majorities or Congress. Understand how the Electoral College system works. Fifteen states and the District of Columbia, which together control 196 electoral votes, have signed on to an interstate compact in which they pledge to grant their votes to the winner of the national popular vote. When the Constitution was set in place in 1789, the U.S. elected its first president. 4. The country could become less stable and divided if he or she did not have a vast amount of support (Richards). Learn more about how the National Popular Vote compact works and the ways it could make our elections better for everyone. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Overview - Pros & Cons of the Electoral College - Digital Branch at (LogOut/ Then, election officials in all participating states would choose the electors sworn to support thepresidential candidate who received the largest number of popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. So you run a campaign designed to maximize your votes in those few largest states. Processes vary from state to state, with some choosing electors during state Republican and Democratic conventions. The Founding Fathers chose it as a compromise between allowing Congress to choose the president and having the president elected directly by the popular vote of the people. April 23, 2023. . That important decision ultimately falls to the Electoral College. Favouring the Reform of the Electoral College. There was a lot of confusion over how Donald Trump won the presidency in 2016. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. But in practice it could happen every 10 or 20 years when the Electoral College votes change because the congressional boundaries change with the new population census. The total number of electoral votes assigned to each state varies depending on population, but each state has at least three, and the District of Columbia has had three electors since 1961. To become president of the United States of America, you must be at least 35 years old, have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years and be a natural-born citizen. Removing this system could encourage more people to come out to support their candidate. In fact, part of a presidential candidates campaign strategy is drawing a map of states the candidate can and must win to gather 270 electoral votes. In 2016, Gary Johnson received 4.48 million votes and 0 electoral votes, but the potential is always there for this to happen. And finally, the Electoral College doesnt work today anywhere near how the Founding Fathers intended it to work when they created it back in 1787. The decision on vice president goes to the newly elected Senate, with each senator casting a vote. Lastly, it may cause a third-party candidate to prevail and win, which would allow Americans to be given more choices besides the two primary parties (Richards). If the election is based off a popular vote, each of these areas would need to be closely examined in real-time, which would enhance the security of each vote that is cast. This means that the U.S. would fundamentally be unable to pay back its existing loans, described by Bloomberg as a "major disaster" that could significantly impact the world economy. Less would get done, which would affect the needs of households at the local level. Analyze and debate the pros and cons of the Electoral College system. Not only it already happened five times, but in theory, a candidate could win the presidency with only 22% of the popular vote in a two-candidates race. In the 2016 election, "swing states" that might vote Republican or Democrat like Wisconsin were targets of candidates Donald J. Trump and Hillary R. Clinton. High Credit Score Borrowers Penalized Under New Federal Mortgage Fee Plan Thirty-three states and the District of Columbia have laws that require electors to vote for their pledged candidate. Only Nebraska and Maine do not. It was even a talking point among 2020 Democratic presidential candidates. Ultimately, any disputes about the procedure could land everything in the Supreme Court. Consequently, they decided that using the proxy votes of the well-informed electors would lessen the risk of tyranny of the majority, in which the voices of the minority are drowned out by those of the masses. In the U.S., that means people who lean Democratic live in urban areas, while people who lean Republican live in rural areas. Today the Democrats want to replace the Electoral College/Winner-Take-All system with a direct popular vote and the Republicans adamantly want to keep it. And that would undermine the legitimacy of the NPV among those people. Winner Takes All: The Popular Vote Versus Electoral College If the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact becomes law it would be an excellent first step to help get a future amendment to the Constitution to replace the Electoral College/Winner-Take-All system to elect the president with a national popular vote using Ranked Choice Voting. Secondly, it creates a minimalist depiction in the minds of the candidate towards more than 40 states. It was a great idea in 1787 but the country has changed since 1787 and the people today want to elect the president by a simple, direct popular vote where whoever gets the most votes wins like we do in every other election in the country. And thats not how it should be in a democracy. It would eliminate the Congressional provisions for a non-majority election. "Electoral College Pros and Cons." National Popular Vote Fix the Broken Electoral College. When Americans cast their ballots, they are actually voting for a slate of electors appointed by their states political parties who are pledged to support that partys candidate. All samples were added by students. Two exceptions are Maine and Nebraska, which rely on congressional districts to divvy up electoral votes. Even if states impose fines on faithless electors for their actions, it is not a guarantee that the behavior will stop. Additionally, the Founders reasoned that the system would prevent states with larger populations from having an unequal influence on the election. The framers enacted the provisions relating to the Electoral College to allow for state innovation. Definition and Examples. However, some critics argue that the advantages of a direct popular election including reflecting democratic principals, outweigh the disadvantages. Rebekah Richards is a professional writer with work published in the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution," "Brandeis University Law Journal" and online at tolerance.org. boyd's article "electoral college system challenged" proves that the system is outdated and misrepresents the national popular will. Policy Research - National Conference of State Legislatures Going to the popular vote would eliminate this issue altogether. The Associated Press explains in this five-part animation series. Since 2008, 15 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws to adopt the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC), which is an multi-state agreement to commit electors to. As of 2020, the state with the largest number of votes is California, with 55 electoral votes. Samploon is a database of free essay samples. [ 1] Around six-in-ten U.S. adults (63%) say the way the president is elected should be changed so that the winner of the popular vote nationwide wins the presidency, while 35% favor keeping the current Electoral College system, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted June 27-July 4, 2022. They have only won the popular vote once. How about receiving a customized one? National popular vote plan. According to the Constitution, the Electoral College is a compromise between election of the President by a vote in Congress and election of the President by a popular vote of qualified citizens (National Archives). How the US Electoral College System Works, Biography of Donald Trump, 45th President of the United States, The Most Lopsided Presidential Elections in US History, Presidential Election of 1800 Ended in a Tie, The Election of 1824 Was Decided in the House of Representatives, How Presidents and Vice Presidents Are Elected, Election of 1800: Thomas Jefferson versus John Adams, Biography of Mike Pence, Vice President of the United States, What Is Dealignment? The allotment of the extra votes would almost always ensure that the person who wins the popular vote would also win the Electoral College. Although it is sometimes conjectured that a national popular election would focus only on big cities, it is clear that this would not be the case. Menu burger Close thin Facebook Twitter Google plus Linked in Reddit Email arrow-right-sm arrow-right Loading Home Buying Calculators The pros and cons of the popular vote structure of an election allow for the majority to have their say in who they wish to serve. As of July 2020, a National Popular Vote bill has been signed into law in 16 states controlling a total of 196 electoral votes, including 4 small states, 8 medium-sized states, 3 big states (California, Illinois, and New York), and the District of Columbia. Maryland and New Jersey passed this bill in 2007, Hawaii and Illinois in 2008, Washington in 2009, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia in 2010, California and Vermont in 2011, Rhode Island in 2013, New York in 2014 and Connecticut in 2018. Electoral college reform Flashcards | Quizlet After all, is said and done, the candidate who attains the largest number of votes can still lose. There are arguments that the states with smaller populations are overrepresented in the Electoral College, because every state gets at least 3 electors regardless of population. The National Popular Vote Plan to Bypass the Electoral College Because of how the system is set up, it is possible for one candidate to win the popular vote and another to win the electoral vote. In 2004, for example, candidates George W. Bush and John Kerry campaigned heavily in states such as Nevada while ignoring political issues in New York, a state that Kerry was sure to win, according to the University of the Pacific. Join the thousands across the country who instantly rally when there is a threat to our democracy. Following U.S. election results on a TV in a restaurant in Shanghai on Nov. 4. does not determine the winner of the presidency, Joseph R. Biden Jr. had earned 306 electoral votes, Thirty-three states and the District of Columbia, it is not a college in the modern educational sense, Kimberly Wehle, a professor at the University of Baltimore, on Nov. 3 backed membership in the compact. The House of Representatives picked Adams over Andrew Jackson, who won the popular vote but only a plurality of the Electoral College. Hillary Clinton won the popular vote but Trump won the Electoral College. Wyoming had just 3 electoral votes, but only had 255,000 voters as well. It isnt impossible to pass a Constitutional amendment, though history shows that it is not an easy process to complete. While we look further into the National Popular Vote, lets investigate some of its pro and cons for the American democracy. The 102 extra electoral votes are calculated from allotting two votes for every state and for Washington, D.C. Or the opposite could be true. This unique system of electing presidents is a big reason why Donald Trump won the presidency in 2016. Fellows will focus on important federal legislation, and find ways they can improve their state's child welfare program. Advantages & Disadvantages of a Direct Popular Election 27 Major Pros & Cons Of The Electoral College - E&C But if we set politics aside and focus on what is really best for democracy in our country in the long run I believe that the advantages of using the NPV compact to elect our president outweigh the disadvantages and the best way to elect our president in the 21st century is by direct popular vote using Ranked Choice Voting. Today, opinions on the future of the Electoral College range from protecting it as the basis of American democracy to abolishing it completely as an ineffective and obsolete system that may not accurately reflect the will of the people. The idea has public support, but faces a partisan divide, since Republicans currently benefit from the electoral clout of less populous, rural states. Although moving to a popular vote election would balance the weight of each vote, it would also create more sway in larger population states. The Electoral College system has been a topic of debate for many years. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Americans are still bent up and flustered on how an individual could lose the popular vote, but still, be given the upper hand in Electoral College votes. The Pros and Cons of the Electoral College - SmartAsset The electoral college is a tradition of American politics that's fairly controversial. Also the NPV Compact allows states to withdraw from the compact as late as four months before an election. Honorable Steve Cohen; Adam . First, have students meet in small groups to discuss and debate. Donald Trump won the presidential election by securing 304 electoral votes, compared to Hillary Clinton's 227 electoral votes. The Compact ensures that every vote, in every state, will matter in every presidential election. The Electoral College was established in the Constitution to protect minority interests and mitigate the possibility of a regional candidate. If there is a tie vote in a states delegation, the states vote would not count. That means a candidate who receives a majority of their votes in a high-delegate state, such as California, could make a dramatic impact on the rest of the election. Ask your students what they remember about the 2016 election. Why or why not? The votes of those who do not live in closely divided battleground states effectively count less. The electoral requires that an election which does not receive a majority of electoral votes be taken into the U.S. House of Representatives. But for those people who feel that changing how we elect the president should only be done by constitutional amendment they will feel that using the NPV Compact will undermine the legitimacy of the process even though its perfectly legal and constitutional. That means every state is allowed a minimum of 3 electoral votes. Because of the state Winner-Take-All rules, which arent even part of the Constitution, they can lead to presidential elections where the winner of the election doesnt have the most popular votes. Right now, the President of the United States is not elected by a popular vote. In theory we could change how we elect our president every four years. For years there have been debates about abolishing the Electoral College entirely, with the 2016 election bringing the debate back to the surface. Voters in spectator states, including five of the nations 10 most populous states (California, Texas, New York, Illinois, and New Jersey), and 12 of the 13 least populous states (all but New Hampshire) have no real incentive to go to the polls as their votes do not affect the outcome of the election. 9. 9. Second, some believe itll intensify election problems, such as illegally extended voting hours or irregularly high voter turnout (Richards). As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. 7. In New Mexico, electors can be charged with a felony if they abandon their pledge, and in Oklahoma a faithless elector could face a misdemeanor charge.
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