Introduction
The constitution acts as the law which governs a given society. To be able to do this, there must be a boy who is responsible for re-enforcing the law and rules which are found in the constitution. In the USA, the Electoral College is responsible for establishing the different aspects of the Constitution, one of which is the ability to elect the president (ProCon.org, 2021). While the popular vote might manifest US democracy more than the electoral college, the latter is essential because it suits the vast country, involves senators of each state, and limits campaigns to dense states.
Discussion
The USA is a vast country that is made up of different states with federal and state laws. With this, it becomes quite essential for the existence of an electoral college. According to Article I of the US Constitution, the Electoral College makes it possible for the citizens of the country to elect their president by using their representatives (Weblord, 2020). It reduces the number of votes to be counted and, at the same time, makes it possible for the chosen representatives in the Senate to choose the president on behalf of their voters and constituents. Generally, it is convenient as the party’s chosen leader can be elected.
The US Constitution’s drafters established the Electoral College as an option for electing the president directly by Congress or public vote. According to Article II of the US Constitution, two senators from each state plus the House of Representatives determine the number of representatives each state elects to the Electoral College (Weblord, 2020). For instance, the District of Columbia has three Electoral College votes despite not having representatives who can vote in Congress (ProCon.org, 2021). On the other hand, Washington DC is allowed three electors as established by the Twenty-Third Amendment.
Unlike the popular vote, the Electoral College limits the election candidates’ campaigns to densely populated areas or particular regions to ensure that the opinion of the majority of citizens is catered for. Presidential candidates develop their agendas with a national focus since they know they will require electoral votes from many different regions to win the election. According to ProCon.org (2021), as a result, the victor will be serving the needs of the entire nation. Without the electoral college, groups like Ohio factory workers and Iowa farmers would be neglected, while metropolitan areas with higher population densities would be pandered to.
While the benefits mentioned above of the Electoral College might be vital to most individuals, some citizens claim that the college elects the president through an unconstitutional process. They opine that the Every Vote Counts Amendment was a bipartisan resolution to change the US Constitution so that the people would choose the president and vice president through a new electoral process. The Electoral College was to be abolished, and every presidential election was to be decided by a majority of votes cast nationally under the proposed constitutional amendment (Americanbar.org, 2019). The 10th Circuit panel stated this was the case, adding, “Once appointed, electors are free to vote as they please” (Americanbar.org, 2019, par. 12). These claims indicate that the refuters of the Electoral College support the abolishment of the current system adoption of one that prioritizes US democracy.
Conclusion
From the argument above, it is evident that the Electoral College should not be amended to allow a popular vote. It is because the electoral vote has been part of the USA for a long time, so changing it would change a large part of the constitution. It reduces the time taken to vote, as each voter is represented by their state representative. Besides, the vote varies vastly, and the president is the representative who acts on behalf of the voters. Also, some support the amendment, saying that each citizen should have a say in the leader they elect as president.
References
Americanbar.org. (2019). ABA Legal Fact Check: Can the Electoral College be abolished? Americanbar.org. Web.
ProCon.org. (2021). Electoral College pros and cons – top 3 arguments for and against. Procon.org. Web.
Weblord. (2020). The Electoral College. US Embassy & Consulates in the United Kingdom. Web.