Analysis of the Electoral College System: A Detailed Report

This report delves into the intricacies of the United States Electoral College (E.C.), outlining its structure and purpose as a mechanism to balance the popular vote with the representation of states. The report highlights the role of the E.C., the number of electors, and the requirement for 270 electoral votes to win the presidency. It further examines the 2016 Presidential Election, where Donald Trump, despite losing the popular vote, won the election against Hillary Clinton. The report also mentions the Russian interference in the election process, the public reaction to the same and the election of Trump. The analysis concludes that the E.C. has failed, as evidenced by the election of Trump despite various allegations. The report cites sources and discusses the implications of the E.C. on the American political system.

Running Head: THE ELECTION SYSTEM IN AMERICA
THE ELECTION SYSTEM IN AMERICA
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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About the Electoral College:
The United States Electoral College (E.C) is not an organization but a process with
the purpose to strike a balance between the candidate, elected in the Congress against the one,
elected by the popular vote. A number of 538 electors comprise the E.C. with a requirement
of 270 electoral votes, necessary for electing a President (Archives.gov, 2019). The Office of
the Federal Register coordinates their functioning. However, the E.C. failed its purpose
during the Bush/Gore election (2000) and the Trump/Clinton election (2016).
Example from the past:
In the 2016 Presidential Election of the United States of America, businessperson
Donald Trump besides the Governor of Indiana, Mike Pence fought the election on the
Republican ticket and emerged victorious against Hillary Clinton, the former Secretary of
State and Tim Kaine, the U.S. Senator from Virginia who fought on the Democratic ticket.
However, the winning party lost the popular vote by a large number, Trump and Pence took
to office on 20th January, 2017 (NBC News, 2019). Trump’s opposition to political
correctness, illegal immigration and the agreements on free-trade garnered wide attention
while Clinton’s agenda on expanding Obama’s policies and working into problems of race,
LGBTQ and women’s rights remained undermined.
Conclusion:
The situation was such that the United States Intelligence Agencies took to a public
announcement on 6th January, 2017, concluding a significant interference of the Russian
government in the election process, in order to undermine the faith of the commons in the U.
S. democracy (NBC News, 2019). However, President Trump reacted, calling them ‘fake

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news’. This depicts that the E.C. has failed miserably, evident from the election of Trump as
the U. S. President despite so many allegations circling round him, in my opinion.
Bibliography
Archives.gov. (2019). U. S. Electoral College, Official - What is the Electoral College?.
Retrieved 1 August 2019, from https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-
college/about.html
NBC News. (2019). How Americans chose Hillary Clinton, but got Donald Trump. Retrieved
1 August 2019, from
https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/2016-election-day/electoral-college-lesson-more-
voters-chose-hillary-clinton-trump-will-n681701