Analytical Paper

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A CALL FOR REFORM TO THE U.S. ELECTORAL COLLEGE Analytical Paper: Critical Analysis of the Need for Electoral College Reform in the U.S. Democracy Pia M. Ong Bamola Political Science 202 AF, University of Washington

A CALL FOR REFORM TO THE U.S. ELECTORAL COLLEGE Envision a democracy where every citizen's voice is equal, establishing fair representation and a true reflection of the nation's diverse population. However, In the United States, how a President is elected has triggered significant debates regarding the democratic legitimacy of the process. This paper will examine the heart of the matter, scrutinizing the Electoral College, a vital component of the U.S. Constitution. While the constitutional framework has stood the test of time, it is no secret that the Electoral College's impact on democratic representation and its disparities among societal groups have raised a serious cause for concern. The winner-takes-all approach employed by the Electoral College has emerged as a controversial issue. "The overriding characteristic of this institution is 'winner-take-all,' or 'unit rule' system, in which candidates who receive a plurality of the popular vote in a state acquire all of its [electoral votes]" (Barney Warf, 2009). This paper scrutinizes the negative impact of the winner-takes-all method, exploring its implications on democratic representation and the disparities it introduces among societal groups. By analyzing the Electoral College's influence on various demographic groups, from ethnic minorities to urban populations, the need for significant reform will become beyond apparent. To truly embody the democratic principles set in the U.S. political system, this paper argues for major reforms to the winner-takes-all approach of the Electoral College, advocating for a government that is more just, equitable, and representative. The Electoral College was initially created to balance state and federal interests, and it is undoubtedly a crucial element in the nation's political system. However, its current form, particularly the winner-takes-all approach, has resulted in misrepresentation. Smaller states are favored more by the Electoral College because each state gets electoral votes equal to its representation in Congress: Senators and Representatives. Because every state has at least two 1

A CALL FOR REFORM TO THE U.S. ELECTORAL COLLEGE Senators, this system gives relatively more power to smaller states. This can lead to unfair sways in elections, as smaller states, with more electoral power, might disproportionately impact the outcome. This misrepresentation is clear when examining elections where the popular vote winner fails to secure the electoral college, leaving smaller states with an unbalanced influence. Despite trailing Al Gore in popular votes, instances like George W. Bush's victory in 2000 highlighted the systemic flaws. "Although Gore had received 543,895 more votes, the Electoral College chose Bush as president by a vote of 271 to 266" (Mark Weston, 2016). This occurrence is not an anomaly but a symptomatic result of a flawed political system. Three decades ago, Abbott and Levine (1991) predicted that the current system would more often select the "wrong winner," in other words, select a candidate that did not win the popular vote. Since this prediction was made, we can observe that the results were contradictory in both 2000 and 2016, with the popular vote on one side and the Electoral College vote on the other. In these two examples, the nation's voters still need their preferred president (Hooghe et al., 2023). This underscores the split impact on states of varying sizes and raises questions regarding the democratic principle of equal representation. The winner-takes-all method, rather than promoting equality, emphasizes the influence of smaller states and, in doing so, creates a bias in the very core of democratic governance. The winner-takes-all approach within the Electoral College plays a key role in shaping the outcomes of presidential elections in the United States. This section addresses the impact of this system on voter representation, arguing that the winner-takes-all method oversimplifies voter preferences, which neglects the voices of minority groups within America. The initial purpose of the Electoral College, as outlined by Hooghe, Stiers, and Lewis-Beck (2023), was to ensure 2

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