illustration by | DANIELLE ZHANG
DIFFERING OPINION The Electoral College is vital to America’s transfer of power CLAYTON COUGHLIN features editor
T
he Electoral College represents an ingenious compromise made by our Founding Fathers and allows each state to cast votes totaling the sum of the number of House of Representatives and Senate seats from that state. This ensures that the vote of small states like Wyoming or Rhode Island do not get disenfranchised by the more populated states. But, it does allow for population to be a factor, hence California’s 55 Electoral votes versus Wyoming’s 3 Electoral votes. The Electoral College prevents large cities from deciding every presidential race and running the country. To put this in perspective, if there was an election held for the president of the world with only a popular vote count, the largest countries of the world like China and India could decide the winner every time; that president would not be representative of the rest of the world. The Electoral College promotes more moderate political platforms because candidates must appeal to the strikingly different demographics in each state. Additionally, the rise of third party candidates would likely occur with a popular vote system. More people would enter the race using hot-button controversial issues. As a result, the vote would be diluted and candidates could be allowed to win the presidency with a very low percentage of the popular vote, despite them failing to represent the country’s values as a whole. People that want to abolish the Electoral College often argue that the process suppresses democracy, as they believe that presidential elections should be decided with LADUEPUBLICATIONS.COM
one person each receiving one vote. However, what seems to be lost in that thought process is that America was never a democracy to begin with. America was founded as a constitutional republic. Because the framers of this country had learned from past failed governments from all around the world, they devised a system that incorporated safeguards against tyranny and majority rule. Pure democracy is akin to mob rule where the minority perspective gets drowned out while the loudest voices trample over all opposition. Under the guise of fighting for democracy, those who continue to push for the elimination of the Electoral College fail to be as outspoken when it comes to other political institutions. The keystone of American government, the Senate, uses the same safeguards against the tyranny of the majority that the Electoral College employs. The argument against the Electoral College’s underrepresentation of the citizens of the United States is also an attack on the morals of having the U.S. Senate. Without the Senate, smaller states would have zero control over the country’s direction or say in federal law making. The logic to abolish the Electoral College is flawed because to take it seriously signifies the complete restructuring of American government. If the Electoral College is abolished, leaving presidential elections to be decided by the popular vote, it will destroy our republic and rip America apart. Faith in our election process and our consent to be governed by representatives that we elect are the cornerstones of America and cannot be lost. The safeguards and representation afforded by the Electoral College promote the successful continuation of our American republic. p 11.20.20
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