Pros Cons
- Represents all states - Can make people feel like their
- Provides a clear and accepted votes don't matter
winner (most of the time) - Gives too much power to swing
- Makes it easier for candidates to states.
campaign, i.e they know which - Can clash with popular votes.
states to target. - Remains the possibility of rogue
- It reflects the federal nature of the electors.
USA - strengthens federalism. - Small states are over-represented
- It tends to promote a two-horse race - Winner-take-all system distorts the
-making process clear BUT not system
representative to those who vote 3rd - Unfair to 3rd parties
party. - President and Vice-President of
- Suggested alternatives have their different parties possibility
own problems - The reasons the Founding Fathers
- Keeps smaller states relevant in created the Electoral College are no
national politics longer relevant.
- The Electoral College can preclude - The Electoral College gives too
calls for recounts or demands for much power to "swing states" and
run-off elections, giving certainty to allows the presidential election to be
presidential elections. decided by a handful of states.
- Protects low-turnout areas States - The Electoral College ignores the
are protected because they have a will of the people.
fixed value. In 2016 Minnesota had - Rooted in slavery and racism - The
the highest turnout (74.2 per cent) “minority” interests the Founding
and Utah and Hawaii had the lowest Fathers intended the Electoral
(46.4 and 42.5 per cent). Despite College to protect were those of
this, those who vote in Utah and slave owners and states with legal
Hawaii can still have an impact as slavery.
their ECV values of 4 and 6 remain - Potential problem to the US and US
intact. democracy if there is a deadlock.
- Ensures widespread support: - Voter apathy - Turnout in the 2012
Candidates must have depth and election was just 50.1%
breadth of support in order to win. - Minor-party failure: The system
EG - the limited national support for disadvantages minor-party
the pro-segregationist candidate candidates, as seen with Perot's
George Wallace in 1968, which failure to win any electors in 1992
meant he failed to win any Electoral despite polling 18.9% of the vote.
College voters outside the South. - Undemocratic: Too many elements
- Very difficult for extreme parties to of the system are said to be
achieve antiquated and undemocratic, as
- Can prevent sectionalism by forcing shown by Al Gore's loss in 2000 and
candidates to campaign for the the existence of faithless electors,
whole country, not just few heavily who ignore the popular vote in their
populated areas home state.
- 1948, tennessee electors did their
own thing - faithless electors
- Promotes two party system
Yes should be scrapped because it undermines the popular vote,
- Represents all states - Can make people feel like their
- Provides a clear and accepted votes don't matter
winner (most of the time) - Gives too much power to swing
- Makes it easier for candidates to states.
campaign, i.e they know which - Can clash with popular votes.
states to target. - Remains the possibility of rogue
- It reflects the federal nature of the electors.
USA - strengthens federalism. - Small states are over-represented
- It tends to promote a two-horse race - Winner-take-all system distorts the
-making process clear BUT not system
representative to those who vote 3rd - Unfair to 3rd parties
party. - President and Vice-President of
- Suggested alternatives have their different parties possibility
own problems - The reasons the Founding Fathers
- Keeps smaller states relevant in created the Electoral College are no
national politics longer relevant.
- The Electoral College can preclude - The Electoral College gives too
calls for recounts or demands for much power to "swing states" and
run-off elections, giving certainty to allows the presidential election to be
presidential elections. decided by a handful of states.
- Protects low-turnout areas States - The Electoral College ignores the
are protected because they have a will of the people.
fixed value. In 2016 Minnesota had - Rooted in slavery and racism - The
the highest turnout (74.2 per cent) “minority” interests the Founding
and Utah and Hawaii had the lowest Fathers intended the Electoral
(46.4 and 42.5 per cent). Despite College to protect were those of
this, those who vote in Utah and slave owners and states with legal
Hawaii can still have an impact as slavery.
their ECV values of 4 and 6 remain - Potential problem to the US and US
intact. democracy if there is a deadlock.
- Ensures widespread support: - Voter apathy - Turnout in the 2012
Candidates must have depth and election was just 50.1%
breadth of support in order to win. - Minor-party failure: The system
EG - the limited national support for disadvantages minor-party
the pro-segregationist candidate candidates, as seen with Perot's
George Wallace in 1968, which failure to win any electors in 1992
meant he failed to win any Electoral despite polling 18.9% of the vote.
College voters outside the South. - Undemocratic: Too many elements
- Very difficult for extreme parties to of the system are said to be
achieve antiquated and undemocratic, as
- Can prevent sectionalism by forcing shown by Al Gore's loss in 2000 and
candidates to campaign for the the existence of faithless electors,
whole country, not just few heavily who ignore the popular vote in their
populated areas home state.
- 1948, tennessee electors did their
own thing - faithless electors
- Promotes two party system
Yes should be scrapped because it undermines the popular vote,
