Electoral College -- Is It Still a Valid Tool Today for Presidential Elections?
By gifana
@gifana (4833)
Portugal
January 5, 2007 12:08pm CST
The Electoral College is a process that was set up as part of the original design for the US Constitituion. It was established as a compromise of the election for a president by Congress and the election by popular vote. By this system the people of the US vote for the electors who then vote for the president.
The number of electoral votes per state is decided by the population of that state. That's why some states are considered more important for campaigning because they have more electoral votes than the smaller ones. If my memory serves me correctly one reason for the compromise was based on the lack of fast communication and the time it took some of the electors to convene to cast their vote.
This topic has been raised a number of times in Congress but as yet Congress has not yet reached a decision as how to replace it.
I feel that now with the internet votes could be cast directly nationally and by the times the polls close all the results (with the exception of absentee ballots) are known immediately. There would be one system used for all polling places. As it is now each state has its own polling system (witness what happened in Florida in 2000 elections) which adds more confusion.
While the cost of converting all polling places throughout the continental US, Alaska and Hawaii would be extremely high when instituted I firmly believe that the "the end justifies the means".
Your comments please..
1 person likes this
4 responses
@4ftfingers (1310)
•
25 Jan 07
This doesn't really concern me either, not being american, but yes i do think there's a need for change. It is representative democracy no doubt, but it over-rules the probable choice of the majority (as was the case in 2000). and so in gaining fast communication, you're compromising true democracy.
Like you say, with the internet there could be a new faster, more efficient system put in place. But personally, if i were to vote online i'd be concerned as to how safe the system is. That might be because i'm not really familiar with the system, but i think alot of others might be thinking the same. However, i can't think of a better solution, one that woud be more efficent than that.
1 person likes this
@gifana (4833)
• Portugal
26 Jan 07
One way might possibly be the use of Social Security Number with a PIN on the end like on a credit card. These cards are unique to every individual. I am not an expert on things like this so I would be hard put to come up with something that would be foolproof. The experts, however, seem to think that there is absolutely no reason why it should be substituted. Who am I to argue with them? I just feel that it would solve the problem of disastrous recounts.
@gifana (4833)
• Portugal
11 Jan 07
I have to think that it should have been restructured, at least, long before that. If you don't understand and are interesting in knowing go to the following site amd maybe, just maybe, you might understand it more clearly:
http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/faq.html#process
This FAQ segment may possibly enlighten you and any others that wish to review just why the electoral college was set up and why it is still in use today.
Thank you for dropping by and for your input.
@wmg2006 (5381)
• United States
24 Jan 07
This system was scrutinized while I was in college studying the field of paralegal work. Our professor explained this system to us in depth and then ask us to debate it according to the knowledge we had. No one in the class wanted to debate for the system. So he said we could discuss why we did not think it was workable and he would play devils advocate.
Well after it was all said and done he won and we lost our argument, based on the pure fact that it is the best system in place today. If someone could show a better, safer, easier, fairer way to do the election it would be considered. We found out later he was heading to Washington that semester to present a new system that he had derived over many years of listening to other students. It was not accepted either.
This was the best lecture course I ever took. And I must admit no matter what GREAT ideas we came up with he could shoot them doen so quickly and they made perfect sense as to why our system would not work. I could write for days on this subject, but my fingers are tired now and just wanted to mention this topic is looked at daily in Washington by some of the best and it does not appear to be solvable any time. soon.
1 person likes this
@gifana (4833)
• Portugal
5 Jan 07
ROFL. I get the point. As a citizen of India this would not pertain to you. I apologize for all non-Americans for this discussion but with some of the discussions I have seen I think this one is rather appropriate and who knows in the near future the Electoral College will be done away with and future presidents will be elected by the people via the popular vote no matter the voter resides. Thanks for dropping by. Always nice to see you.
