Paper Government
PFC Rockwell, Kenneth Norman
13Oct08
Term Paper: Government 2301 (The Electoral College)
The Electoral College is an established system the United States government utilizes in order to elect the new president and vice-president for the country. This system is a model of indirectly voting for the executive branch of government. The Electoral College system was established in Article II of the Constitution and amended by the 12th Amendment in 1804 (About.com). The electors are chosen by the state to cast their votes on who should be president. When a citizen votes on a ballot for who they think should be president, they are actually voting for an elector who has pledged to vote for the candidate the voter has chosen. Ultimately, the decision is in the elector’s hands however, as they are the ones casting the vote on who should become the next leader for our country. All but two of the states in the U.S. run a “winner take all” fashion for how they distribute their Electoral College votes. The two states who do not operate in this manner are Maine and Nebraska, who set their electoral votes according to congressional district (Department of State, Michigan). The framers of the Constitution sought out to prevent “tyranny of the majority” and to seek a non-mob yet democratic approach to electing its next leaders. A possible reason for this method of electing the president could have been a fear of majority voting during the time. If swayed by nationalistic pride to vote for a candidate who had no real governmental scope or understanding of the responsibilities associated with the position, unfit presidents could emerge that could change the framework of America. This fear may have spurred a consensus to limit real mob rule and to put the trust in state chosen electors who understood the political scheme during each individual time period (Archives.gov). Another reason may have been the foresight of a vast nation being born with large numbers of people and
13Oct08
Term Paper: Government 2301 (The Electoral College)
The Electoral College is an established system the United States government utilizes in order to elect the new president and vice-president for the country. This system is a model of indirectly voting for the executive branch of government. The Electoral College system was established in Article II of the Constitution and amended by the 12th Amendment in 1804 (About.com). The electors are chosen by the state to cast their votes on who should be president. When a citizen votes on a ballot for who they think should be president, they are actually voting for an elector who has pledged to vote for the candidate the voter has chosen. Ultimately, the decision is in the elector’s hands however, as they are the ones casting the vote on who should become the next leader for our country. All but two of the states in the U.S. run a “winner take all” fashion for how they distribute their Electoral College votes. The two states who do not operate in this manner are Maine and Nebraska, who set their electoral votes according to congressional district (Department of State, Michigan). The framers of the Constitution sought out to prevent “tyranny of the majority” and to seek a non-mob yet democratic approach to electing its next leaders. A possible reason for this method of electing the president could have been a fear of majority voting during the time. If swayed by nationalistic pride to vote for a candidate who had no real governmental scope or understanding of the responsibilities associated with the position, unfit presidents could emerge that could change the framework of America. This fear may have spurred a consensus to limit real mob rule and to put the trust in state chosen electors who understood the political scheme during each individual time period (Archives.gov). Another reason may have been the foresight of a vast nation being born with large numbers of people and