On Thursday, Sen. Bill Nelson, D-FL, proposed an overhaul of America’s presidential election laws that included awarding the presidency based on popular vote, instead of using the Electoral College. “The goal is simple: one person, one vote,” Nelson said.
Many people, however, don’t know much about the Electoral College, but this will explain how the electoral college system works and what role your vote will play.
A BRIEF HISTORY
Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution first designed the Electoral College and stated that each state was allocated a number of electors equal to the number of its U.S. Senators (always 2) plus the number of its U.S. Representatives. It was supposed to work without political parties and without national campaigns while maintaining balance.
It lasted through only four elections following the emergence of political parties, when in 1800, Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr (both of the Democratic-Republican Party) received the same number of votes. The tie was resolved by the House of Representatives after 36 tries and led to the Twelfth Amendment.
The Twelfth Amendment requires that each elector cast a single vote for president and a separate vote for vice president rather than casting two votes for president with the runner-up being made vice president. The Amendment also stipulates that if no one receives an absolute majority of electoral votes for president, the U.S. House of Representatives will select the president from among the top three candidates with each state casting one vote. If no one receives an absolute majority for vice president, the U.S. Senate will select the vice president from among the top two candidates.
CHOOSING ELECTORS
Although the individual party candidates for elector are seldom listed on the ballot, the expression “Electors for” usually appears on the ballot in front of each set of candidates for president and vice president, or else the state law specifies that votes cast for candidates are to be counted as being for the delegates pledged to those candidates). For this reason, voters are actually casting a vote for the electors of presidential and vice presidential candidates rather than the candidates themselves.
I agree with #3, and I don’t think that we are at the level of sophistication as a general populous to burden making that decision without checks in place. Just because someone can vote, does not mean they should…but that is another topic all together.
Responsibly exercise your right to vote! Please educate yourself on the issues!
TX State Delegate, Team Hillary of Course!
Thank you so much CL. I’ve been meaning to determine the exact purpose for the EC. Thanks you so much for providing this info. Now this is what black entertainment should be!
i dont think the electoral college should be repealed b/c some states dont have a large enough population to get a voice…..but those state are still required to get a minimum of 3 electoral votes
at the same time……..having proprtional electoral college means having a situation that we are in now with the democratic primaries…..those votes are proportional not winner take all…..thats why we are in the mess we are in…..do we REALLY want the house to choose our president if we cant decide on a majority?
Pingback: » POLITICS: VOTING 101 // 'CONCRETELOOP.COM' - 'GLOWIN' IN THE DARK'