How can we do away with the electoral college which has been obsolete for years?

Answer 1

There would need to be a Constitutional Amendment that says: The President shall be elected directly by a majority vote of all votes cast for president.

First, pass Congress, then pass two thirds of the state legislatures.

Answer 2

As retrotrancer stated, how is the electoral college obsolete? Do you know why it was implemented? Let me explain it to you:
California and New York are more densely populated (and bigger!) than states like Ohio and Rhode Island. With only relying on the popular vote, the states with the most population would have more say than the others. The electoral college prevents that from happening. See, what happens is, people in each state vote for whomever they wish. Then the popular vote is counted. Whichever side has the most votes, is the side that the electoral college elects. Many of the smaller states have more electoral votes, meaning that the candidates have to pay attention to them, as well.
Do you get it? How is that obsolete?

Answer 3

It is not obsolete. America is a republic, not a democracy like many people now days believe it is. In a republic, the states govern; in a democracy, the people. Individuals still have a say in the way the country is run in a republic, but through the states.

The electoral college is an extension of the states right to govern. If we were a true democracy, then we would elect a leader by majority.

Answer 4

I'm not convinced yet.

Part of reason for the electoral college has failed while the other part is still valid to some degree.

The electoral college was not meant as a winner takes all...instead it was to be the most educated most trusted...
this part failed.......so the winner take all part...gives some validity of the electoral colleges obseletness....


Framers feared MOB RULE.
Uniformed, easily trick, less edcuated.

I don't fear the mob...i want them informed educated and voting.
Infromed voters are harder to trick.

So why keep it....because it gives smaller states some say in the matter...a small state could swing an election.
They still count...rather than population be the factor.

i believe everyone should vote, but the point of the electoral college was to have people choosen who were well informed, people in society who had its best interest, those votes counted..............The framers did not intend for the winner take all electoral college.....


In the end the answer of whether it is obselete is depends upon taking smaller states power to decide elections,

Because the electoral college as envisioned by the framers does not exsist.

Answer 5

There has always been discussion about abolishing the Electoral College especially in the light of developments in modern methods of communication. However, since it was established by the Constitution, it would require an amendment to do so. I wonder how easily that would be achieved especially for the reasons you enumerated in your comment. I think that as long as the electoral vote continues to reflect the popular vote, the American people will be content to leave the EC in place. However, let the electoral vote contradict the popular vote and you can be sure that the EC would be abolished with the speed of the repeal of Prohibition

Answer 6

The electoral college is not obsolete, and it does go by the majority of the vote.

If it were done away with, larger states such as texas would completly cancel out smaller states such as Rhode Island. How would that be fair? Basically california, texas, and a few other states would completly decide the election. How would that be fair? How would that be speaking for the people?

Maybe instead of trying to fix the current system of voting, we should work on getting more ppl to vote. If it works, you shouldn't try to fix it.

Answer 7

By amending the Constitution.

I disagree that it is Obsolete.

I think that we have too many directly elected officials.

In the Constitution we are not supposed to directly elect senators (the state it to choose who will represent them) the people were to be represented by the house.

The Electoral college was agreed upon by the states when they created the nation so that each state no mater how small in population would have a say in who will lead it.

if we eliminated the electoral college all the campaigning would take place in New york and California and no one would care about "fly over country"

Answer 8

I don't think it's obsolete at all. We use it because it involves every state in the union. If we didn't have it, some of the states would get ignored completely. Also, the politicians would just go to the most populated places in the country. It really is a great way to make sure everyone matters, and I don't think we need to get rid of it.

I guess I disagree with you, oh well.

Answer 9

It's obsolete because Democrats lost some close elections?

Answer 10

The electoral college is there for a solidly good reason. in questions of men bind them down with the chains of the constitution.