Objectives

1
Objectives

• Assess information on Electoral College and its
  impacts on the political process, and draw your
  own conclusions as to whether or not it should be
  reformed.

2
Structure of Electoral College

• Electors / state Congresspeople / state
• (Reps 2 Senators)
• 538 Electoral votes (270 needed for win)
• Winner Takes All
• All electors vote for winner
• except Maine Nebraska (proportional formulas)
• See the 2012 Electoral Map

3
Impact on the Political System?

• Due to Winner Takes All.
• Candidates focus on large, competitive (swing)
  states while ignoring other states
• 2008 Exception Obamas 50 state strategy
• Discourages third parties who rarely get any EC
  votes
• (1968 was an exception)
• Candidate may win without popular mandate

4
How is it possible to win the popular vote but
lose the election?

• Losing candidate has narrow losses in some large
  states but wins by large margins in other states
• 2000 Bush (271 / 47.9) beats Gore (266 / 48.4)
• Gore had over 500,000 more popular votes, but
  lost by 537 votes in Florida
• 2nd scenario No candidate wins majority, so
  House of Reps votes

Florida Recount
5
Impacts on the Political System?

• Promotes Federalism Depends on influence of
  states, not just popular vote
• Fosters Founders Intentions
• Votes of all citizens dont count equally
• Smaller states overrepresented
• E.g. 2004
• 1 WY Elector 165,101 votes
• 1 CA Elector 617,000 votes
• Fosters two-party system / Discourages 3rd
  parties
• Faithless Electors

6
Arguments Keep the Electoral College

• Promotes Federalism
• Must campaign by states / cant win by focusing
  all efforts in one region
• smaller states given a boost
• Intentions of Founding Fathers (limit pop rule)
• Constitutional Compromise b/w direct election of
  Pres. and State Legislators electing Pres.
• Fosters Two-Party System
• More stability / fewer 3rd party upsets
• Even under direct election, the winner may not
  have a majority of votes

7
Arguments Reform or Disband the Electoral
College

• Public Opinion (more people oppose it)
• Doesnt Reflect Popular Will
• winning election with minority of popular vote
  (or by House of Reps)
• Not One Person, One Vote
• Results in wasted votes
• Lack of Legitimacy for officeholder
• Minor Parties would have fair chance more
  democratic?
• Problem of Faithless Electors
• EC possibly depresses Voter Turnout??

8
Reform Proposals

• District Plan
• 2 electors by pop. vote of state
• The rest by pop. Vote of each Cong. District
• Pros/Cons
• No Winner Takes All
• Presidential election decided by mapmaking
  gerrymandering?
• Winner of popular vote could still lose Election
• No amendment required

9
Reform Proposals

• Proportional Plan
• Popular vote of state of electors allotted
• No Winner Takes All
• Winner of popular vote could still lose Election
• More 3rd party votes could mean failure to win
  majority of EC votes goes to House of Reps
• No Amendment required
• Direct Popular Election
• All votes count equally clear winner
• Hard to Amend Constitution
• Drowns out some interest groups
• Too much money to campaign?

10
Reform Proposals

• National Bonus Plan
• 102 national electors go directly to winner of
  pop. Vote
• Runoff election if winner has no majority
• Winner of popular vote will win Election
• Hard to Amend Constitution

11
Should the Electoral College be reformed? If
yes, how?Informal Debate Make a list of pros
and cons. Choose a side. Defend and Explain
your position.