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Electoral College Debate

The Electoral College is the system used in the U.S. to elect the President, where electors from each state cast official votes based on the state's congressional representation. It was created as a compromise to balance power between large and small states and to mitigate concerns about the general public's decision-making capabilities at the time. The system operates mostly as a winner-takes-all approach, leading to scenarios where a candidate can win the presidency without winning the national popular vote, prompting debates about its relevance today.

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9 views2 pages

Electoral College Debate

The Electoral College is the system used in the U.S. to elect the President, where electors from each state cast official votes based on the state's congressional representation. It was created as a compromise to balance power between large and small states and to mitigate concerns about the general public's decision-making capabilities at the time. The system operates mostly as a winner-takes-all approach, leading to scenarios where a candidate can win the presidency without winning the national popular vote, prompting debates about its relevance today.

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vivianann1985
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Vivian Breed

LEGL 111
Sept. 8, 2025
Electoral College Debate
1. The Electoral College is the system the United States uses to elect the President. Instead of
people voting directly for a candidate, each state has electors who cast the official votes. The
number of electors is based on the state’s number of senators and representatives in Congress. In
total, there are 538 electors, and a candidate needs at least 270 to win (History.com, 2023).
2. The framers of the Constitution created the Electoral College as a compromise. Some leaders
wanted Congress to pick the president, while others wanted a direct popular vote. The Electoral
College was meant to balance the power between big and small states and to keep a check on
what they feared could be uninformed choices by the general public. At the time, there were
concerns about communication, education, and how much influence the average voter had. So,
the system was designed to give the states a role in choosing the president while still reflecting
the voice of the people (U.S. Const. art. II, § 1).
3. Today, the Electoral College mostly works as a winner-takes-all system in each state. When
people vote, they are really voting for a slate of electors who promise to support their candidate.
In almost every state, whichever candidate wins the popular vote gets all of that state’s electoral
votes. This is why a candidate can win the presidency even if they do not win the national
popular vote. Once the electors cast their votes, Congress certifies the results and declares the
official winner (NPR, 2019).
4. I can see arguments both ways. On one hand, abolishing the Electoral College would make
every vote equal and reflect the direct will of the people. On the other hand, keeping it makes
sure smaller states still have a voice and are not completely overshadowed by states with a larger
population. Personally, I think the system feels outdated because it was built for a time when
people did not have the access to information and communication that we do now. I also
understand why some argue it helps keep balance between states (History.com, 2023; NPR,
2019).
References
 History.com Editors. “Electoral College.” History Channel, 2023.
https://www.history.com/topics/us-government/electoral-college
 NPR. Is It Time to Vote Down the Electoral College? (Podcast, June 10, 2019).
https://the1a.org/shows/2019-06-10/1a-across-america-is-it-time-to-vote-down-the-
electoral-college
 U.S. Const. art. II, § 1.

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