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Should Electoral College Be Abolished Argumentative Essay

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怒枠ract It has been long debated that the winner-take-all-principle of the Electoral College should be abolished for reasons that it fails to promote loyalty, equality and democracy. Some of the arguments against the Electoral College are: it has the risk of so-called “faithless” electors and the possible role of the Electoral College in depressing voter turnout. On the other hand, arguments in favor of this principle defend that it: enhances the status of minority interests and maintains a federal system of government and representation. This Research paper will use the following sources: Keeping the Republic by Barbour and Wright, Federalist No. 68 by Alexander Hamilton, the documents written by William Kimberling and Tara Ross and the …show more content…

Until now, citizens cannot vote directly for their president that breaks democratic principles and obscures presidential politics. But, are these arguments enough to prove that the winner-take-all principle of the Electoral College be abolished even if it has proved that it has worked well in this century having no election of the president that has been decided in the House of Representatives? The winner-take-all principle of the Electoral College is used in most states and in the District of Columbia except in Maine and Nebraska. This principle means that in a state, the candidate who has the majority or the plurality of the popular vote gets all the electoral votes of the state. This principle, then, does not guarantee that whoever wins the nationwide popular vote, is sure to be elected as the president for the Electoral College determines the winner of the election. For those who object the winner-take-all principle, they worry that the Electoral College system has: the risk of so-called “faithless” electors and the possible role of the Electoral College in depressing voter turnout. On the other hand, arguments in favor of this principle defend that it: enhances the status of minority interests and maintains a federal system of …show more content…

So, rather than basing the number of the electoral votes in each state according to its number of representatives and senators, the electoral votes would be based on the percentage of the “popular vote won”. Although the proponents of this plan argue that it retains the Electoral College vigor, “the results would be closer to the national popular vote outcome” (Ross, 2004). They also argue that, “the voices of minority voting groups would be reflected in the final election tally because even ballots cast for third-party candidates could be reflected in the national results” (Ross, 2004). Thus, it is also likely to happen that a presidential candidate can win the election without winning the popular but Ross claims that, it will happen less likely than the system that we have in present

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