What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of the Electoral College?

Callen Cavinder

Professor Pierre

POLS210 American Government I

1/3/2016

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Electoral College?

            Before we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the Electoral College, let’s first look at when it was established and why. The Electoral College is an important element in today’s political system, it will determine exactly how the President of the United States will be elected. In 1787 after the U.S. Constitution was completed, the leaders of the nation came to the conclusion that average citizen weren’t educated enough to elect the President of the United States. They developed a conduit which is known as the Electoral College. Bonsor and Dove tell us that the Electoral College was created by the framers of the U.S. Constitution as a compromise for the presidential election process.  The major concern was that states with a higher population would have an unfair advantage in a presidential election because of knowing the candidate.  The Electoral College system uses what is known as electors, they take the votes from the public and then cast their votes for candidates.  This system is described in Article II, section 1 of the Constitution (Bonsor and Dove)

        Now let’s take a closer look at some of the advantages of the Electoral College. How does the Electoral College work explains The Electoral College system does not encourage candidates to campaign for voter turnout, except in large “swing states”.   Finally smaller states are given more power so they are able to compete with the larger states.  This forum gives individual states a way to implement its own laws, and could amend laws as they see fit.  It contributes to the checks and balances of the system, ensuring that once elected the President does not have sole power over the government. It is based on a two party concept, the Democratic and Republican parties this way the country remains stable. OccupyTheory explains about Minority Groups: Certain proponents have argued that the interest groups and minority groups may have a huge impact in influencing votes because of the winner take all system within the states.

Let’s take a look at some disadvantages.  As we have seen in the past a popular individual may not win an election. Each state has what is known as Electors, these are individuals chosen to vote for the public, however the popular vote does not always win.   In states comprised mainly of Republican voters or Democrats voters, candidate spend the majority of their time in what is known as a swing state.  This is a state that is not dominated by either party, candidates will levy harder in these swing states rather than spending time in regions dominated by the other party.  Candidates hoping to run as a third party candidate will not have an easy time as the Electoral College is based solely on a two party system.  Another clear problem, the majority of voters feel that their vote doesn’t matter, these locations are primarily dominated by either Republican or Democratic Party.