Why The Electoral College Is Still Valid Essay, Research Paper

From November 7, 2000 until December 12, 2000 our nation nervously watched as recounts of Florida votes prolonged the confirmation that George W. Bush had defeated his competitor Al Gore. Bush narrowly defeated Gore by five electoral votes, however Gore took the popular vote by 504,000. The closeness of this election has sparked the age-old debate as to whether or not the country should keep the Electoral College method of electing a chief executive or to go with a popular vote throughout the nation. Opponents of this 214-year-old institution argue that it is old and that it no longer serves the purposes that it was taken under. This is not true. In fact, the Electoral College should be kept due to the fact that it does still serve the purpose that the framers of our Constitution had envisioned. It continues to protect minority interests while giving way to majority rule. In addition, this method of choosing the nation?s leader still helps to ensure that he/she is truly a leader that represents the country.

One purpose that the Electoral College still fulfills today is that it protects minority interests while giving way to majority rule. This is accomplished by guaranteeing small states a certain amount of votes. In having an election that is determined by the Electoral College, small states such as Iowa or West Virginia who have 5 to 7 electoral votes can make a large difference in the outcome of the election (Fitzgerald par.5). The past election is proof of this as Bush only beat Gore by five electoral votes. Another way in which the Electoral College protects minority interest is in the fact that it amplifies minorities? voices in large states. This is evident in the fact that farmers, which are a minority population within America, still must be considered as they can easily affect the outcome of a many Mid-Western states? electoral vote. Yet another example is in the fact that Arabs, another small group of people nation-wide, play an important role in the state of Michigan?s electoral vote (Fitzgerald par. 6). In this purpose the Electoral College is still a productive way of choosing the nation?s chief executive.

A second important purpose that the Electoral College still fulfills today is that it still provides the nation with a truly national leader. This institution prevents a Presidential Candidate from winning the election by sweeping one section of the country. Under a popular vote election, this would be entirely possible. In fact, this did occur with two candidates, Samuel Tilden in 1876 and Grover Cleveland in 1888. Both men won the majority of one section of the country and the popular vote, but were not granted Presidency due to the Electoral College. The Electoral College prevents this by giving each state a number of electoral votes equal to the number of seats it holds in both houses of Congress. To win the election, a candidate must win a set of states? electoral votes that represents a majority of America. The way that the votes are dispersed throughout the country ?forces candidates to meet, talk and consider the views of all Americans? (Madigan, par. 6). In doing this, voters have more access to information on a particular candidate?s stances that would enable them to make a more informed decision as to who the next President should be. One example of why the Electoral College should be in place is evident in the fact that ?Bush won 2.5 million square miles of our country while Gore won only 580,000? (Madigan, par.7). If a popular vote were the method of electing a President, Al Gore would have won by approximately 500,000 votes even though he did not represent a majority of the country. It is clear to see that in that aspect the Electoral College is still serving its intended function.

To summarize, the Electoral College should be kept. It still provides the nation?s minority population with a voice, and helps to elect a President that represents a majority of the country. The fact that occasionally, the Electoral College does not elect the popular vote getter is a small price to pay for our nation?s unity and representation of minorities.

Works Cited

Fitzgerald, Peter, ?Electoral College Doesn?t Need Fixing.? Chicago Sun-Times on the Web 6 Jan. 2001. 5 Feb. 2001 .

Lahood, Ray, ?Were Founders Wrong? ? Electoral College is Outdated Relic; Let Popular Vote Decide Presidency.? Peoria Journal Star on the Web 3 Dec. 2000. 5 Feb. 2001 .

Madigan, Robert, ?Electoral College: Helps assure rural America has a voice.? Bloomington Pantagraph on the Web 28 Jan 2001. 5 Feb. 2001 .

Schwartz, Fredrick, ?The Electoral College: How it got that way and why we?re stuck with it.? American Heritage Feb./Mar. 2001 5 Feb. 2001. .