Essay Contest Winners
Jeremy David
The Barstow School

"Should the Electoral College Be Abolished?"

The Electoral College is a body of electors representing the states, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president. It was created for two purposes, as a buffer between the populace and selection of a president and as a way to give power to smaller states.

The first purpose is outdated. America is a government that is by the people and for the people. The possibility that an elector can override the voices of thousands is a chilling thought. This would make sense in an era before common electronics because many would be uneducated about the presidential race. But as citizens of the twenty-first century, modern solutions such as twenty-four hour political news channels reverse the problem the founders were trying to solve.

The second purpose is also resolved by modern solutions. When the Constitution was drafted, the Founding Fathers thought presidential hopefuls would campaign only in large urban areas to secure the majority vote and cast small towns aside. Modern communications allow presidential debates to be broadcasted nationally, allowing every citizen to be informed equally. Additionally, websites such as ontheissues.org allow a fair and balanced look at candidates, making campaigns in small towns unnecessary.

The benefits of abolishing the Electoral College far outweigh the costs. Every citizen would have an equal voice and an equal vote while guaranteeing that unpredictable electors would not plague the system.

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