The electoral college is one of the most important systems in the United States. It should be preserved, as it embodies the foundational principles of the United States. This system plays a crucial role in maintaining balance and representation in our democracy.

The electoral college protects the interests of minority groups and smaller states because it makes sure they are not overpowered by more heavily populated states. Instead of assigning electoral votes solely by population, the electoral college awards smaller states at least three electoral votes. For example, Wyoming has three electoral votes for a population of 576,851 people, while California has 55 electoral votes for a population of 39 million people, giving each electoral vote around seven times more weight for Wyoming voters than California voters. This prevents candidates from only focusing on densely populated areas. The system ensures presidential candidates must address both local and national issues. Without it, rural and less populous states would be marginalized in the favor of large cities, leading to an imbalanced representation. 

In addition, the popular vote complicates the process of choosing a winner. In close elections, a razor-thin national margin could trigger recounts on a massive scale, complicating and prolonging the election process. Recounting millions of votes across various jurisdictions would be chaotic logistically and introduce significant delays in determining a clear winner. The electoral college, by contrast, localizes recounts to specific states rather than the entire nation, providing a clear and more manageable system from resolving close contests. In the 2020 election with Trump versus Biden, election officials only had to recount in close states like Georgia, Arizona, and Florida, as opposed to the entire nation. Furthermore, the electoral college shortens the process because as soon as a candidate reaches 270 electoral votes, they are declared the winner. 

The electoral college also promotes political stability by strengthening the two-party system. The structure of the electoral college makes it difficult for third-party candidates to gain enough support to influence elections, encouraging voters and candidates to align with one of the two major parties. This dynamic helps prevent political fragmentation, which can result in a fractured government with multiple smaller parties vying for control. In countries with multiparty systems, such as Germany or Brazil, forming stable governments often requires complex alliances, which can lead to instability and gridlock. By encouraging candidates to appeal to a broad base of voters, the electoral college supports a more stable political environment. 

The strengths of the electoral college, from protecting minority interests to ensuring balanced representation, highlight its critical role in American democracy. While the system faces criticism, it remains essential for upholding federalism and preventing the domination of populous areas. As we move forward with the upcoming election, it is crucial to recognize how the electoral college reflects the voices of all Americans.

The electoral college should be replaced by the popular vote. Disproportionate campaigning strategies and discrepancies in vote values are only the beginning of the vast array of flaws in the electoral college that are fixed by the popular vote.

This current system pushes many states wayside. Candidates will often concentrate their campaigning, including advertisements and rallies, to swing states and states with larger numbers of electoral votes. Meanwhile, smaller states and “safe states” get pushed to the side.  Pennsylvania is an example of one of these large swing states. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pennsylvania has seen almost $1 billion in election spending as of October 5, more than any other US state in history. The popular vote doesn’t require this strategy. One vote is one vote no matter where it comes from.

The purpose of voting is to decide based on popular sovereignty, or the majority. Yet with the electoral college, candidates have won with fewer votes than their opponent — the most recent cases of this being Hillary Clinton losing to Donald Trump in 2016 and Al Gore losing to George W. Bush in 2000. This phenomenon has occurred five times throughout American history. A system where you can be less popular, less desired, less voted for and still win the election is unjust. It’s an insult to the foundations of the US as a democracy. This glaring hole in the electoral college could be rectified through the popular vote.

Many of the most vital aspects of our democracy, including the electoral college stem from long standing traditions. However, the electoral college no longer holds the same importance. It was originally created because legislators had a fear that the mostly illiterate and uneducated population of the time would make ill-informed decisions. Thus, they created a system of electors who would make the ultimate decision, the electoral college. Widespread public education, literacy and access to information through the internet have rendered this original purpose obsolete. 

Not only is the electoral college outdated, but it was also directly exploited to strengthen slaveholders through systemic racism. From 1787-1868, the Three-Fifths Compromise allowed the southern slave states to receive three-fifths population representation for electoral votes from slaves while simultaneously withholding those slaves from voting. Slavery and the dehumanization of slaves in the South was perpetuated and strengthened by the three-fifths clause. By giving the Southern states more representation based on slave populations while not giving the slaves representation allowed them to create laws that restricted the rights of slaves and free Blacks in the South.

The flaws of the electoral college, from unequal campaigning to ignoring the choice of the majority, highlight the need for change. The popular vote ensures every vote is equal, reflecting true democratic value. As society advances, it is time to adopt a system that better represents the people’s voice.