Electoral College

[nicjohnson]

I've been seeing a lot of threads regarding the popularity of canidates, the 2000 presidential election, and the possible problems this year regarding such a close race (so far).

What are your opinions on the Electoral College? Is it out-dated? Is it a necessary part of our election system? Does it pose any problems to presidential elections?

[Giancarlo]

There are always minor problems in elections in the developed world. And problems are even more persistent in popular vote democracies. So no the electoral college is not outdated. It works quite well. And it is very democratic.

[Miscellaneous]

The electoral college doesn't need to be eliminated, but it does need to be reformed. Consider this: without the electoral college, we could concievably have a president decided by fewer than 30 cities, which is almost as bad as if not worse than having an election decided by a couple of states. However, the current "winner-take-all" by-state system is just ridiculous. We need to separate electors out to districts instead of states, with the states represented by two Senatorial electors (or "at-large" electors) and each district represented by their House seat. We'd still have some "vote negation," but it would be nearly as bad as it is now.

[Oxford]

I think the elctorial colelge needs ot be re-worked. Take my state, Ohio, for example. Even if the majority of the people voted for Kerry, our vote would still probably go to Bush because most of our respresentatives are Republican. I think Thom's idea of voting by district would work better.

[DemJew]

I think the elctorial colelge needs ot be re-worked. Take my state, Ohio, for example. Even if the majority of the people voted for Kerry, our vote would still probably go to Bush because most of our respresentatives are Republican. I think Thom's idea of voting by district would work better.

Under the current system if Kerry won the most votes in Ohio then he gets Ohio's 20 electoral votes, regardless of the amount of Republican representatives that you have. I have trouble with Thom's plan though. Since House districts are drawn up by State Legislatures the districts tend to be either conservatively or liberally biased, depending on which party controls the legislature. I agree with Thom's plan that ditricts should be created, but i think they should be created by a comission that has an equal amount of liberals and conservatives on it and also not force the districts to stay within state borders.

[Oxford]

Under the current system if Kerry won the most votes in Ohio then he gets Ohio's 20 electoral votes, regardless of the amount of Republican representatives that you have.

It's the elctors that make the final decision. They can vote any way they want.

[DemJew]

It's the elctors that make the final decision. They can vote any way they want.

Yes, but they've followed the popular vote in their state for over 150 years, why would they stop now?

[Oxford]

Yes, but they've followed the popular vote in their state for over 150 years, why would they stop now?

Who knows. Politicans can be weird. But really it's pointless. Most of Ohio is Republican anyways.

[minitrucker84]

I believe ohio is a republican sate anyway, like monk said. Except for the cities, which are usually liberal, ohio is mostly working class and farmers.

[USGermanyFreak]

The electoral college definantly needs work. Not immediatly, but over time as the people begin to get more and more educated. People shouldn't believe their vote doesnt' count when there is a clear winner in the popular vote but he/she loses because the electoral college votes the other way. The thing about Ohio is correct we usually go republican, and we are working class and farmers.

[Milestones]

Quite simply, the Electoral College was created to curb to great a degree of popular control over government, specifically the executive. The writers of the Constitution were propertied men belonging to an elite, they therefore feared the whims of the people; this conservatism resulted in the compromise that is the electoral college. Democratic, but not TOO democratic as to allow the people so much control.
The E.C. needs change, when a candidate loses even though they have more votes than the eventual winner, there is a major problem; I'm not bringing political opinion of Bush or Gore in to this, just fairness and democracy. The President should be elected on a national basis rather than a state-->national basis.

[dargo21]

Yes, but they've followed the popular vote in their state for over 150 years, why would they stop now?

Maybe it would be a conspiracy.