Thank you for your comment. To be candid, I do find it remarkable how much mental gymnastics it takes to argue that the Electoral College is superior to the straightforward principle that every person’s vote should count equally in America. We have a presidential electoral system that most Americans don’t fully understand—one …
Thank you for your comment. To be candid, I do find it remarkable how much mental gymnastics it takes to argue that the Electoral College is superior to the straightforward principle that every person’s vote should count equally in America. We have a presidential electoral system that most Americans don’t fully understand—one where just a handful of votes in key swing states can change the outcome (even with a variance of millions nationally), creating an environment ripe for manipulation and corruption. States are not people, nor do their residents vote as monolithic blocs. While the Electoral College gives smaller states a slight advantage by granting them two extra electoral votes for their Senate representation, the real imbalance lies elsewhere. Election after election, swing states reap the real benefits—receiving nearly all the attention, the bulk of campaign visits, and over 90% of campaign spending—while voters in reliably red and blue states, regardless of size, are largely ignored.
The Electoral College does not exist because America is a democratic republic, as every other election in the U.S. relies on a simple majority vote by the people. If you’re interested in a deeper exploration of this topic, I encourage you to watch my film, One Person, One Vote?, available on PBS Passport, where I dive into the well-researched history and origins of the Electoral College.
Thanks again for taking the time to share your thoughts!
Hi Frankie,
Thank you for your comment. To be candid, I do find it remarkable how much mental gymnastics it takes to argue that the Electoral College is superior to the straightforward principle that every person’s vote should count equally in America. We have a presidential electoral system that most Americans don’t fully understand—one where just a handful of votes in key swing states can change the outcome (even with a variance of millions nationally), creating an environment ripe for manipulation and corruption. States are not people, nor do their residents vote as monolithic blocs. While the Electoral College gives smaller states a slight advantage by granting them two extra electoral votes for their Senate representation, the real imbalance lies elsewhere. Election after election, swing states reap the real benefits—receiving nearly all the attention, the bulk of campaign visits, and over 90% of campaign spending—while voters in reliably red and blue states, regardless of size, are largely ignored.
The Electoral College does not exist because America is a democratic republic, as every other election in the U.S. relies on a simple majority vote by the people. If you’re interested in a deeper exploration of this topic, I encourage you to watch my film, One Person, One Vote?, available on PBS Passport, where I dive into the well-researched history and origins of the Electoral College.
Thanks again for taking the time to share your thoughts!