Electoral College the Current Function of the

Electoral College The current function of the Electoral College is that each state has a set number of votes for the President, based on the population of that state. The candidate with the most votes in that state would receive all of that state's Electoral College votes. The system has come under fire from critics would point out the flaws in this system.

For example, it does not differentiate between a landslide victory and a squeaker, and the Electoral College encourages politicians to only compete in battleground states, ignoring the needs of other states entirely. These concerns are justified, in that a President can be elected despite the other candidate having more votes. This does not sound like a perfectly-functioning democratic system. Critics of the Electoral College have proposed instead that the national popular vote be the method used to determine the Presidency.

As an alternative to the Electoral College, the national popular vote is not a perfect solution. From a functional perspective, the patchwork of different state electoral systems is not built for a national popular vote, as Gregg (2011) points out. Countries that have national election bodies might be equipped for such a vote, but the United States is not.

Another issue with the national popular vote is that it might create a higher level of polarization among the electorate than already exists and candidates build their platforms around catering to specific groups that vote in large blocks. The baby boomers are entering their senior years, for example, and this will characterize their voting needs -- such a large block needs to be attended to.

Likewise, the Hispanic and African-American votes can be block-like, and candidates would need to tailor to cultural and demographic needs rather than the needs of those in specific states. The NPV plan, therefore, does not eliminate one of the major flaws in the Electoral College, it merely reframes it. I also feel that a workaround for the Constitution is a violation of the intent of the founding fathers. The Electoral College system was created with a specific vision for the governance of the country.

In the long run, the Electoral College still performs this role. if, occasionally, a President is elected without winning the popular vote, that does not invalidate the work of the founding fathers. If the Constitution is going to be circumvented in such a manner, without going through the Amendment process, then there should be a very good reason for that. It seems that the rise of this movement since 2000, and the fact that the supporting states are all "blue" states, colors this issue as partisan.

Indeed, the hurt feelings stemming from 2000 have been the driving force behind the NPV campaign. It is worth noting that the loss of one election -- even to elect a lousy President -- does not invalidate the system that was built into the.