University Essay: The Case for Abolishing the Electoral College System

This essay presents a well-structured argument for the abolishment of the Electoral College in the United States. The author begins by stating a clear thesis, advocating for the elimination of the Electoral College. The essay then presents three key arguments supporting this position: the Electoral College's historical irrelevance in the modern era of informed voters, the disproportionate power it grants to "swing states", and its perceived disregard for the will of the people, citing the example of Hillary Clinton winning the popular vote but losing the election. The essay also addresses counterarguments, acknowledging the arguments in favor of the Electoral College, such as its supposed role in ensuring representation for all parts of the country, its historical roots, and its purported contribution to political stability. However, the author refutes these counterarguments, ultimately concluding that the Electoral College should be replaced to ensure fair representation in presidential elections. The essay is well-researched and supported by references to academic sources.

Running head: ELECTORAL COLLEGE
Electoral College
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1ELECTORAL COLLEGE
The Electoral College is one of the most significant aspects of the presidential
elections of the United States. It is identified that this group of individuals are responsible for
casting their votes in order to appoint the president and the vice president (Bugh, 2016).
While some believe that this procedure should still be followed, others believe that a better
system needs to be developed. This discussion intends to argue for the abolishment of the
Electoral College.
There are numerous reasons why the Electoral College should be fully abolished.
Firstly, the reasons why the Electoral College was founded are no longer relevant to
today’s times (Edwards III, 2019). Nowadays, the modern voters possess the required
technology and information that are required to choose the president. Since the majority of
the voting laws have been modified, the Electoral College should also be altered in order to
suit the necessities of the modern-day environment. Due to some of the constitutional
amendments, women and former slaves were given suffrage rights. Thus, if these changes
may be implemented then reforms in the Electoral College are also possible. Secondly, the
Electoral College allots a great amount of power to the “swing states” and as a result the
presidential elections are decided by only a few number of states. Due to the Electoral
College, the presidential candidates only need to pay close attention to a few states such as
California. These swing states have the ability to completely change the result of the
elections. Thirdly, it seems that the Electoral College totally exempts the will of the
people (Streb, 2015). Even though the population of the U.S. is over 300 million, only 558
people decide who the next president will be. For example, even though Hilary Clinton won
the popular vote, she lost the presidential election.
Nonetheless, there are a few reasons that support the continuance of the Electoral
College. Firstly, it is said that the Electoral College ensures that all parts of the country
take part in the election. However, there are some states that assume more power in

2ELECTORAL COLLEGE
deciding the president. Hence, the Electoral College only provides power to a limited number
of states. Secondly, the Founding Fathers who had established the Electoral College
believed that this was the best method to select the president (Podolnjak, 2014). The
Electoral College was put into place to safeguard the country against uninformed voters.
However, in the present times there are various other systems that might be implemented that
would ensure the equal participation of all the states. Finally, the supporters of the
Electoral College believe that that it encourages and maintains political stability.
However, if all of the citizens are not allowed a say in the presidential elections then the
political stability holds no meaning.
Hence, it is imperative to allow all of the citizens a say in these crucial elections. Even
though the Electoral College has been in effect for a great number of years, it should be
completely replaced. Since these elections are pivotal to the destiny of the U.S., it should be
ensured that the majority of states are represented.

3ELECTORAL COLLEGE
References
Bugh, G. (Ed.). (2016). Electoral College Reform: Challenges and Possibilities. Routledge.
Edwards III, G. C. (2019). Why the Electoral College is bad for America. Yale University
Press.
Podolnjak, R. (2014). The Constitution, the Electoral College, and the American Concept of
Democracy-A View from Europe.
Streb, M. J. (2015). Rethinking American electoral democracy. Routledge.