Electoral college

1853 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Short essay on the electoral college

A common misconception among American is that when they vote they elect the President. The truth is not nearly this simple. What in fact happens when a person votes is that there vote goes for an Elector. This Elector (who is selected by the respective state in which a vote is cast) casts ballots for two individuals, the President and the Vice-President. Each state has the same number of electors as there are Senate and House of Representative members for that State. When the voting has stopped the candidate who receives the majority of the Electoral votes for a state receives all the electoral votes for that state. All the votes are transmitted to Washington, D.C. for tallying, and the candidate with the majority of the electoral votes wins the presidency. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote, the responsibility of selecting the next President falls upon the House of Representatives. This elaborate system of Presidential selection is thought by many to be an 18th century anachronism (Hoxie p. 717), what it is in fact is the product of a 200 year old debate over who should select the President and why.

In 1787, the Framers in their infinite wisdom, saw the need to respect the principles of both Federalists and States Righters (republicans) (Hoxie p. 717). Summarily a compromise was struck between those who felt Congress should select the President and those who felt the states should have a say. In 1788 the Electoral College was indoctrinated and placed into operation. The College was to allow people a say in who lead them, but was also to protect against the general public's ignorance of politics. Why the fear of the peoples ignorance of politics? It was argued that the people, left to their own devices could be swayed by a few designing men to elect a king or demagogue (McManus p. 19). With the Electoral College in place the people could make a screened decision about who the highest authority in the land was to be (Bailey & Shafritz (p. 60); at the same time the fear of the newly formed nation being destroyed by a demagogue could be put to rest because wiser men had the final say.

200 years later the system is still designed to safeguard against the ignorant capacities of the people. The Electoral College has remained relatively unchanged in form and function since 1787, the year of its formulation.

Show More
Related

  • The Electoral College Vs. Popular Vote

    1203 Words  | 3 Pages

    Originating in 1787, the Electoral College was created as the official body within American politics that elects the president and vice president. The decision of who will win is based off the vote totals in each state, and “the founding fathers established it in the constitution as a compromise between election of the president by a vote in Congress and election of the President by a popular vote of qualified citizens.” (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, “What is the Electoral College?”). During this time, the job of the Electoral College was to make peace between differing states and federal interest groups, provide popular participation in elections, give a vote to less populated states, and keep the president’s powers separate from Congress.

    Read More

  • Alexander Hamilton's The Federalist Paper No. 68

    636 Words  | 2 Pages

    For the most part, the connection between the Presidential election process of 1788 and the present Presidential election procedure are both determined through the Electoral College process. The Electoral College process made sure people played a crucial role in the selection of the President of the United States. As was previously stated, I have expounded on the process of how the President is elected; the vital role that people played in the election, and the responsibility of the House of Representatives in response to the

    Read More

  • The Similarities and Differences between the Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers

    882 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...lieve the Electoral College should be made up of men able to analyze the specific qualities of the president of that time. Also, in Anti-Federalist paper No. 68, it discusses that the president should be elected by a certain number of electors, much like the Electoral College.

    Read More

  • Philmont Trek

    1319 Words  | 3 Pages

    We sat there for a few more minutes then I got up and yelled for everyone to get ready to start moving again. I donned my pack and tightened the straps, and after making sure everyone else was ready, started off down the winding trail to the night’s campsite.

    Read More

  • Electoral College Flaws

    1559 Words  | 4 Pages

    Every four years, the citizens of America migrate to their respective polling locations and cast their vote. On this important day, the second Tuesday of November, the next President of the United States is elected. The election race for United States presidential candidates undergo a political marathon, negotiating primaries, party conventions and an electoral college system along the way. The electoral college is one of the main aspect of a presidential election. The Electoral College is made up of electors in each state, who represent the states popular vote. Each presidential party or candidate designates a group of electors in each state, equal to the States electoral votes, who are considered to be loyal to that candidate, to each State’s

    Read More

  • Essay On The Electoral College Should Be Abolished

    1252 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Electoral College was created by the framers at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. They believe that it wasn’t a good idea for the people to elect the president directly because they did not trust that voters would have enough information to make a good choice. The Electoral College basically chooses who the next president will be since it takes away our freedom to vote. The Electoral College should be abolished because it’s undemocratic, the small states are overrepresented, and it hurts third parties. The United States of America is a democratic country that is characterized by the equality of rights and privileges.

    Read More

  • Drafting the Constitution

    2555 Words  | 6 Pages

    By the late eighteenth century, America found itself independent from England; which was a welcomed change, but also brought with it, its own set of challenges. The newly formed National Government was acting under the Articles of Confederation, which established a “firm league of friendship” between the states, but did not give adequate power to run the country. To ensure the young nation could continue independently, Congress called for a Federal Convention to convene in Philadelphia to address the deficiencies in the Articles of Confederation. While the Congress only authorized the convention to revise and amend the Articles the delegates quickly set out to develop a whole new Constitution for the country. Unlike the Articles of Confederation, the new Constitution called for a national Executive, which was strongly debated by the delegates. There were forces on both sides of the issue trying to shape the office to meet their ideology. The Federalists, who sought a strong central government, favored a strong National Executive which they believed would ensure the country’s safety from both internal and external threats. The Anti Federalists preferred to have more power in the hands of the states, and therefore tried to weaken the national Executive. Throughout the convention and even after, during the ratification debates, there was a fear, by some, that the newly created office of the president would be too powerful and lean too much toward monarchy.

    Read More

  • Democracy In The 19th Century

    1358 Words  | 3 Pages

    During the construction of the new Constitution, many of the most prominent and experienced political members of America’s society provided a framework on the future of the new country; they had in mind, because of the failures of the Articles of Confederation, a new kind of government where the national or Federal government would be the sovereign power, not the states. Because of the increased power of the national government over the individual states, many Americans feared it would hinder their ability to exercise their individual freedoms. Assuring the people, both Alexander Hamilton and James Madison insisted the new government under the constitution was “an expression of freedom, not its enemy,” declaring “the Constitution made political tyranny almost impossible.” (Foner, pg. 227) The checks and balances introduced under the new and more powerful national government would not allow the tyranny caused by a king under the Parliament system in Britain. They insisted that in order achieve a greater amount of freedom, a national government was needed to avoid the civil unrest during the system under the Articles of Confederation. Claiming that the new national government would be a “perfect balance between liberty and power,” it would avoid the disruption that liberty [civil unrest] and power [king’s abuse of power in England] caused. The “lackluster leadership” of the critics of the new constitution claimed that a large land area such as America could not work for such a diverse nation.

    Read More

  • The Electoral College Should Be Abolished

    886 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Founders built certain protections for individual rights into this country's founding documents. The United States Constitution was one such document. In particular, such protections guard Americans who hold minority viewpoints from those who side with the majority. For example, the First Amendment protects the right of free speech to ensure that people who hold unpopular views have just as much freedom to express those views as do people who tend to agree with the majority. The United States Constitution, therefore, was intended to protect the individual rights of Americans from a tyrannical government and majority. However, today, the Electoral College does not represent the vibrant democracy into which the United States has grown.

    Read More

  • Should Electoral College Be Abolished Dbq Essay

    599 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Electoral College is a system where the President is directly elected. This process has been used in many past elections as well as the current 2016 election. This process also helps narrow down the large numbers that were made by the popular votes, into a smaller number that is easier to work with for electing the President. Some states use a system called “winner-takes-all”, which is another system that is connected with the Electoral College. This allows a candidate with the most electoral votes, to get the rest of the votes that the state provides.

    Read More

  • Healthcare Administrator Essay

    1141 Words  | 3 Pages

    A professional leader will not just be professional when their corporate counterparts are around or their superiors are in their institution, but at all times while at work. A good leader shows professionalism by treating all employees the same and not choosing favorites. Professionalism means not changing the rules in the middle of the game to suit the needs of an individual without having good cause, and if having good cause, not sharing that reasoning with those who do not have a need to know it. It is in a moral imagination. One who is unable to have such a moral imagination should be considered a blinded leader, and a blinded leader cannot be a professional leader and can do major damage to an organization without even knowing

    Read More

  • Madness And Madness In Hamlet

    671 Words  | 2 Pages

    Madness. Though to most it seems like a simple betrayal of the mind, the use of madness throughout Hamlet, by William Shakespeare creates a sense of not only the breakdown of the mind, but a breakdown of society. In the play, two main characters give into madness, one is a faked, and one is all too real. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, chose to act mad in order to confuse Claudius. Ophelia on the other hand, goes insane due to an accumulation of many factors, such as isolation, distrust, and grief.

    Read More

  • Nursing Career: A Career In The Healthcare Career Path

    756 Words  | 2 Pages

    Working as medical and healthcare service requires some qualities like communications skill to communicate effectively with other medical professionals and staff. The interpersonal leadership they are the one in charge to hired and train staff. They need to be detail orientated since they are the one in charge of overseeing that the organization runs smoothly.

    Read More

  • Hamlet: Feigned vs Unfeigned Madness

    1187 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout the history of English literature, William Shakespeare delved into the mental component of humanity, and the disputed consequences that arise from this human mentality. The most famous revenge tragedy play, Hamlet, is an excellent illustration of Shakespeare’s study of human nature. In Hamlet, the arguable issue of Prince Hamlet’s mental health makes the readers to have two conflicting beliefs: one that shows support for a feigned madness, and the other one that stands up for an unfeigned madness. Madness is defined as an “Extreme anger, excitement, or foolishness.” (“Madness”), and “Ideas or actions that show a lack of good judgment and careful thought.” ("madness"). At the start of the play, Prince Hamlet’s plan is to pretend to be mentally ill, so that he is able to cover up his true intentions to inflict vengeance on his father’s killer. It seems clear from the theater piece that Prince Hamlet has indeed turned to true madness by believing in his own performance in the end.

    Read More

  • Real Madness And Madness In William Shakespeare's Hamlet

    1204 Words  | 3 Pages

    All of the madness in the play originates from Hamlet and the meeting with his father’s ghost. Here, Hamlet discovers the truth of his father’s death and the emotional affairs between Hamlet’s uncle, the now King, and his widowed mother. Despite the Ghost’s warning to leave his mom out of the problem, Hamlet confronts his mother about the events preceding his father’s death and the current state of the royal court. All the while, hiding behind a nearby curtain Polonius listens to the conversation. The way Hamlet is acting frightens the Queen and she cries out for help. Polonius in turn shouts giving away his hiding place. Unsheathing his sword, Hamlet leaps towards the wall hanging and stabs through it, killing Polonius who Hamlet mistakes as the King. He returns to his mother, and continues ranting to her about the differences between his murdered father and uncle. Then, the Ghost appears to Hamlet and chides him for the rough way he’s been treating his mother. At the sight of Hamlet’s unseen conversation, the Queen

    Read More

More about Electoral college

Open Document