Should the US begin to implement a national vote that counts individuals rather than the electoral college?
I believe the electoral college is undemocratic because it dilutes the strength of an individual's vote.
I believe that it would be better not to have the Electoral College. Having elections decided by popular vote would seem a lot fairer to me. I believe that most state elections are decided by popular vote and if it works for them, I think it would be a good idea nationally as well. It would help to dilute the influence of larger states.
Posted by: R0d0FerdyEvery Vote Matters?
I think it's all about the numbers. It should come down to one or two votes. That's what seems fair. It's like a large-scale board of directors. If 5 people vote yay and 4 people vote nay then yay wins. We should be able to control our government based on popular vote. If most of the people think a certain president should win then that's how it should be counted.
Posted by: AnonymousIndividual votes should count more than they currently do.
People lose faith in the system once they realize the electoral college ultimately decides the outcome. Also, it is possible to tamper with those in the electoral college and rig elections.
Posted by: StormGraYES-
If we Vote and it doesn't actually count, Then Why Vote? Maybe we don't need to get rid of the electoral college all together but it does need to be looked at to see if it is still needed or if it needs adapted to Today's day and age. I don't really see how people for the College can actually say our vote counts. REALLY COME ON NOW!
Posted by: Anonymousthis amendment violates my civil right to vote
this amendment violates my civil right to vote, if i vote on someone, and then you give my vote to someone else, it simply means my vote doesn't count, i.e. if i pay my taxes for safety in my country and then the government takes that money and gives it away, then my opinion doesn't count, how much different is this from slavery,
Posted by: AnonymousElectoral Delegates Out of Proportion to Vote
Because all states but two award all of their delegates to the candidate with the most votes, it is completely unfair. The fair way would be to apportion delegates; but that would be extremely difficult to do for small states with 3-4 delegates. The only fair way is to do it by popular vote-- but where every vote--especially all absentee ballots-- in every state must be counted (which is not the way it is done now) before any numbers are posted or released to the public. If it takes a day or two, so be it. No one should be swayed by prophetic news commentators based on a fraction of the total votes.
Posted by: AnonymousIndividuals should be counted, not electoral votes
It's 11:28 P.M. on election night. I'm looking at the map of our united states showing 75% of our country voting for Mitt Romney but yet Obama has 275 electoral votes? It just doesn't seem like the people are being represented in the electoral vote and why is it so important?
Posted by: AnonymousYes, I believe that the electoral college is a joke because it does not count every vote individually.
How can we say that every vote counts when it all comes down to the electoral college? Every single person's vote should count, just the same as the next person's. In areas where there are high demographics of republicans, in all reality, the democratic votes don't count for anything, and vice-versa. If we did away with the electoral college, it would be much more fair.
Posted by: KerbyLuvTrue democracy
There are a lot of people, including myself, that at one time or another have not voted just based on the fact we know or feel it really doesn't matter what we vote. I feel that the electoral votes are going the way the government officials want them to go. As someone else stated, if even 51% of the vote determines the entire electoral vote swing, how is that fair? If the electoral votes were guaranteed to be split the same percentage as the actual votes that might seem a little more fair. We also need to get rid of this two-party election process and need to get control of the spending and controlling of the entire election process. This country can be great and has been going down hill for years and years. We the people are the ones that can make a difference.
Posted by: AnonymousFor the people
We are one nation, all united under one flag, even though we are separated by ideas about how things should be. By using the electoral vote to elect a president we displace all the votes. A president might win the majority in the population of his people whom he will lead, but lose the electoral votes which are all that really count. If the United States' government is supposed to represent the people shouldn't the people's numbers represent the government? We now have the technology to count each vote and communicate them on a national level, displacing fears of chad votes or other miscount fears.
Posted by: AnonymousIt only makes sense for every vote to count.
I do not understand why we do not allow every vote to count. If some one that is democrat or republican and they are in a state that is strong one way or the other, I believe it is pointless to go out and vote. Their vote will have no impact on the election. I strongly believe the United States should go towards every vote counting.
Posted by: AnonymousThe US should implement a national vote because this is a better showing of who people actually voted for.
The electoral college essentially chooses the president. The holders of these electoral votes look at a state and see what the majority in their state voted for. If the votes are even one more for one candidate then all the votes go for that one. Using this the electoral votes are really quite unfairly given to that one candidate when they should be split. A national vote would allow for the popular winner to always win, which has not always happened.
Posted by: T RichmondOutdated, antiquated, intended for horse and buggy days
The electoral college is an outdated and antiquated system. It was meant for horse and buggy days. We have had the technology in place for years to get rid of this system. Makes you wonder why they keep it in place. Maybe control, hmmm? Why not make everyone's vote count? Every vote should count! It shouldn't be won by the state you live in but by the country we all live in.
Posted by: AnonymousYES!!!!
Our population has changed dramatically since this was established, it is not a fair system now as there are too many states and cities that have unequal populations. How can it be fair if the majority of the people's vote does not count because of a few states and cities that have large populations and has more delegates?
Posted by: AnonymousElectoral College is outdated
While the Electoral College once served a purpose, it seems to now be a cumbersome process, out-of-touch with our modern reality. It also helps to create the perception that not everyone's vote counts because, as seen in even recent elections, a Presidential candidate can win the popular vote, but still not win the Presidency due to how the Electoral College can be gamed.
Posted by: AnonymousEvery vote should count
Yes. It seems that every vote would count then. A person should not win because he won in that particular state. He should win if he get the most votes overall then every vote would count not just the ones in the electoral states That would be the only fair way to ensure that voting matters.
Posted by: AnonymousYes.
Our population has changed dramatically since this was established, it is not a fair system now as there are too many states and cities that have unequal populations. How can it be fair if the majority of the people's vote does not count because of a few states and cities that have large populations and has more delegates?
Posted by: LABNorthwayElectoral voting system outdated.
I feel my vote is a waste of time. I see a real opportunity to buy the election with the electoral process. People feel voting outcome is determined before they cast their votes and return home. The popular vote is the only way to be fair. THE ELECTORAL VOTING SYSTEM IS OUTDATED.
Posted by: AnonymousUsing individual votes in national elections, rather than the electoral college, would be the true vote of the majority.
I feel the only way to represent the majority of citizens is to let the votes of the individual citizen decide an election. Otherwise, we are just seeing an eschewed version of the majority. Our government is supposed to be a direct reflection of what the majority of citizens want by letting those same citizens elect politicians they feel will bring what is needed to steer this country in the right direction. Using an electoral college to elect national politicians is an altered version that does not truly and accurately represent what the majority of citizens might have wanted, there are too many loop holes that need filled if we are to continue using an electoral college to elect national politicians.
Posted by: BrianDjElectoral College Needs to GO
The electoral college is an ancient out of date system that should have been put to rest over fifty years ago! It has been proven that a candidate only needs to win a handful of states to be president. The rest of the states really don't even need to be counted because the electoral college overlooks them. A straight up popular vote is the way we need to go as a nation. That is democracy!
Posted by: AnonymousWe have the technology
We don't have to spend days driving into a city to vote anymore. It's only still here because they like to make the decision.Think about it, we don't elect the president, he is elected for you. We can easily make it work and at that point every vote will count. We can save the electoral college as a secondary back up, not the primary. I hate the fact that I vote every year and it never counts.
Posted by: AnonymousPeople over Politics
The American voters should decide, not the representatives. The people elected to represent us have their own agenda. What they say to get elected can change afterward. The vote for the President should come right from the American citizens and not a go-between. It is obvious that the majority of the voters wanted Romney, so tell me how the representatives failed us.
Posted by: AnonymousThe electoral college system is not fair.
If you look at how most of the states use their electoral votes it is not fair. California for example has 55 votes based on population. Every electoral vote goes to one person regardless of what each district in the state thinks. If we are going to have an electrial college it she be based on each district voting what the district desides not every vote going to one canidate. How is that fair to those areas that voted against that canidate. Represeitives are using the sytem for what they want and not what the people want.
Posted by: Anonymouseleminate electoral voting practices.
When a eligible voter comes of age they are given the opportunity to vote. Each vote should count, which ensures the winner is truly voted by the people for the people. However, electoral votes take that vote away. I want my vote to count in the state, not taken away by electoral vote. Some say the vote does count. Untrue if there is at least one time when the winner loses because of the electoral vote counters the win, which has happened.
Posted by: AnonymousThe electoral college is a complicated method of voting that many voters do not understand well.
The electoral college is far too complicated and does not always accurately reflect the will of the public. I think counting votes individually gives greater representation to the people. More than one president has been elected through the electoral college, while still losing the popular vote, which should not happen.
Posted by: IgnorantCraig79For the People
I believe that each and every voter's vote should be counted at the end of the night to show who the people want to be President. In many states the college's electoral vote lines change from year to year giving the edge to one or the other candidate. Let the people speak through their votes and let each and every vote be counted, it's the only true democratic way.
Posted by: AnonymousThe practice of using electoral college votes is archaic and should be abolished.
The practice of using electoral college votes in national elections is an archaic one that began during a time in history when many citizens lived very narrow lives and were functionally illiterate. Most people had no idea who the candidates were or what they stood for. Additionally, many were incapable of reading a ballot or even signing their names. In modern times with mandatory education, mass communication, and rapid transit, there is no longer any need for electoral votes. Every election should be judged on the majority rule and no single vote should carry any more weight than any other vote.
Posted by: P0nyCareIt's simply fairer
Those who say NO offer the argument that "each vote does count" or something along those lines. Clear evidence to the contrary is available from the 2000 presidential election. How can one say each vote counts in a fair way when the candidate with more popular votes ends up losing because the other candidate has more electoral votes? This is a silly situation to be in.
Not only would be fairer in the simplest sense to make every vote count equally, but the candidates would have to reach out and present themselves and their campaign ideas to the entire country instead of focusing solely on swing states. It is a broken system that creates unnecessary outcome possibilities based on the close results in a single state, such as in 2000.Posted by: MilliardeYes
I just want my vote to count. I live in AZ and our state never makes a difference. The east is mostly always the deciding ones. I don't always decide on Dem or Rep. I just decide on what the issues are for that election and make my vote that way. I may choose a Democratic president and a Republican senator. Depends on who can do best for my state and country.
Posted by: quinlNo more Electoral College
Things have been going wrong for too long in this country. It's time that every vote is counted. The government is supported by the people's taxes and therefore they should also be supported by our votes. Hopefully a wise Congressman will take this to the senate to change the law..
Posted by: JSteadymanYes
It is an outdated system, there is no longer a need for an electoral college. The only reason it hasn't been changed yet is because it is in the constitution and would take an amendment. Anyone with a basic knowledge of US history would know this is next to impossible to do. This is one of the reasons most people do not get out and vote, most believe their vote doesn't count in the elections. We need to get rid of it, it is not a fair system.
Posted by: AnonymousThe Vote of Every Eligible Person in Every State Counts.
Electoral is outdated. By the people of the people for the people. Period. Period. Period. It is very simple. Every American who is eligible to vote, votes. You count them and the majority wins. Simple. This country is an experiment in all that is good, fair and just. Things need to be tweeked now and then. Then is now.
Posted by: AnonymousI feel the individual vote should count more, because it would encourage more people to vote.
Yes, the U.S. should implement a national vote that counts individuals over the electoral college, because more people would feel they matter, when voting, and it could get more people to vote. The more people that vote, the fairer the outcome.
Posted by: NollBadIt is ridiculous that national elections hinge so much on swing states.
I find it very frustrating that the outcome of a national election can be overturned by a relatively low amount of votes in crucial swing states. There is no reason why a Democratic vote in Texas or a Republican vote in California should be worth less than an undecided vote in Ohio. Voter turnout would also improve if people knew that their vote actually did count equally with everyone else's.
Posted by: LivingJimmyThe electoral college is outdated and unnecessary for America today and should be abolished so the citizens vote is absolute.
When the country was young and small, there was a purpose in the electoral college but that purpose has long since passed with the large population of states and the technology that now exists to count votes. National elections should be decided only on the vote of the citizens and the popular vote. In past elections where the popular vote did not match the electoral college, the popular vote should have trumped the electoral college. We should be the ultimate and final voice in American politics.
Posted by: elveljungIt is just no longer needed.
When the electoral college was instituted it was done so to protect the smaller states, and it made sense, back then some states had very small populations, but it is just no longer necessary. Every state counts their citizens votes and each and every state files and counts those votes. A President should be elected by popular vote only. If the GOP has its way with it's redistricting and new laws they wish to implement we could end up having a President elected by a small minority. Had the GOP gotten it's why this time Romney would have won, yet Obama would have had 6 million more votes. We live in a Constitutional Republic and I for one want my President elected by the people, not the 1%.
Posted by: Anonymousb.jones
I know of no other country that uses the American system of electoral college voting. Candidates should be elected by the majority of the people, period. Mr. Romney had more votes than our President and he still lost. I don't even feel I should go to the polls in a presidential election again.
Posted by: Anonymousstop electoral college
If either candidate gets the most votes, they should be declared the winner. Just like any Mayor or County Commissioner. The Most Votes Win! I do not feel like any duly elected representatives in congress, even if I voted for him should carry any more weight than your vote or my vote.
Posted by: AnonymousElectoral College Skews the Results
Twice the candidate who has won the popular vote has lost to Electoral College. This is not fair as the people can't actually vote for their leader. It isn't fair to the people if they can't even elect their leader. Even worse, the people are practically tricked into thinking that the popular vote is the real deal! The electoral college definately needs reform or to be replaced. In this election Obama barely beat Romney in the popular vote, yet Obama blew out Romney in the Electoral College. The system needs reform because it skews the results and is unfair.
Posted by: abaThe US should implement a national vote because the electoral college is outdated.
Our country is no longer as regional as it once was, and most "red states" and "blue states" really consist of a relatively even split between Democrats and Republicans. The electoral college confuses voters and it makes elections relatively meaningless in states where there are consistently more voters of one party than the other. It also encourages candidates to cater to special interests in important swing states, rather than trying to advance a national agenda that would be relevant for all voters.
Posted by: NoIanP4P3rpopular vote is the best way to vote
Every vote needs to count. You count all the ballots anyways, so what is the point of electoral votes? For example, someone from Texas who is a republican and votes republican but moves to a democratic state such as California they lose their vote. That persons vote gets thrown in the trash and has no impact on the election. This also a reason that many people say that there is no point in voting because they have no impact, it doesn't effect who gets president. They count them anyways, the popular vote is more important because every single voice is heard that votes.
Posted by: AnonymousEvery registered voter to count
Americans who live in states with less population feel their votes count for nothing. It makes it more possible that voting is being manipulated by larger populated states. It also gives the appearance that better service and more money goes to the more populated stated. Special interest groups are for the larger populated states.
Posted by: AnonymousWhile the United States does already have a national vote, I do think that it should implement one that gives more significance to individual voters, more than it does to the electoral college.
In order to remain truly democratic, I do think that the United States needs to reassess its voting procedures, to give more importance to individual voters than it does to the electoral college, to avoid repeating situations like the Bush/Gore election debate.
Posted by: ToughEfrain26Efficiency
It feels as though my vote, in Texas, doesn't count. Why bother voting? I think this country should have an accurate count of votes, therefore allowing individuals to be part of the election process.
Let's make it more of a democracy, folks. Let's make this a fair voting process, as opposed to a leaning republic.Posted by: marie.magdalene568I think that the U.S. should change the national vote so that it counts individuals, instead of the electoral college, because this would result in higher voter turnouts.
Many citizens will choose not to vote in the elections, because they feel as if their vote won't matter, usually because they are residing in an area that is typically either far left or far right. For example, a Republican living in a "blue" state might choose not to vote because he/she knows that the state will vote overwhelmingly in favor of the Democratic candidate and, therefore, their vote is essentially pointless. Eliminating the electoral college and counting individual votes could result in higher voter turnouts.
Posted by: GainfulBobbieOur individual votes should count more!
The electoral college is a terrible system. Voter turnout would improve if people knew that their vote actually did count equally. People feel like they do not make a difference and that their voice is not heard if they reside in a state that primarily votes the other way. The electoral college was established because of slow communication and transportation. With modern communications, it is only logical to abandon the archaic electoral college, and give every eligible person a vote that counts.
Posted by: crazedmom23Why an electoral college...or representatives for that matter?
Why do I vote for someone in an electoral college to vote? Why do we believe that 435 house representatives properly represent the voices of 312 million Americans? Am I supposed to believe my views on specific legislative issues are properly represented every time? Why can't Americans vote on specific legislative issues rather than a representative to vote for them? The simple truth is that our current democratic state is flawed because there is always a 50% chance that our beliefs will be misrepresented in a yea or nea vote closed to the public.
Posted by: AnonymousWhy push to vote? This election was a Joke!
Citizens voted and our vote counted as much as if someone was counting beans. Electoral college needs to be shut down. Presidential ads wasted the TV's time, my time and every citizen's time, and look at all the money that was wasted and could of been used to pay off the $ that the great president wasted. The president knew to go and spend all his time in the small states to get the electoral vote.
Posted by: AnonymousEvery vote should count toward the winner
Not just the majority of one state or the other. Total popular vote should choose the winner. More people would vote if ever vote made a difference. Example California 60% vote democratic and get all the electoral votes for the state. That is not right. 40% end up not mattering. If 60% of the electoral votes went to the democratic party and the rest to the other parties this would mean each vote does count. All the votes going to one party or the other does not represent the people.
Posted by: AnonymousThe U.S. should do away with electoral votes and count the votes of the people, because that is what democracy is about.
The reason many people refuse to vote is because it makes no difference, when the only thing that matters is the electoral vote. Electoral votes do not represent the people in an honest and fair way. An election should be won or lost based on how the people feel about the candidate, and this simply is not happening at this time.
Posted by: N3vinFaceMajority Rules!
The president should be elected because the majority of US voters voted for him, not because one candidate spent more money in the "swing states" and pandered to the people in those states. This is a travesty and NOT what our founding fathers had in mind when they created the Electoral College. Get rid of this "Buggy Whip"! it is outdated!
Posted by: AnonymousWhy do we vote if it's up to electoral college?
People spend so much time and money following the nominees throughout the race and supporting whichever one they feel is right for the job when we don't have a even 50/ 50 split on Democrat or Republican in the electoral college or in the HOR or Senate! So how do "we the people" actually vote and have our votes matters? They don't matter, and that's why more people don't vote. They feel it's a waste of their time because in the end it's not how they vote that matters.
Posted by: whitetonyaI agree that the United States should implement a country-wide vote that counts individuals rather than the electoral college, because our opinions as individuals are what founded this country.
The electoral college does not always completely and justifiably express the opinion and feelings of the entire public as a whole. The United States was founded on the belief that the people had a choice in every decision that is made. With the electoral college, this belief is sort of pushed to the side.
Posted by: MycaDemonThe U.S. should implement a national vote that counts individuals rather than the electoral college, because the current system is obsolete.
The U.S. should implement a national vote that counts individuals rather than the electoral college, because the electoral college is obsolete. The electoral college was established because of slow communication and transportation. It took weeks to travel from southern Georgia to Pennsylvania, or Washington D.C. With modern communications, it is only logical to abandon the archaic electoral college, and give every eligible person a vote that counts.
Posted by: jackprague94
keeping big states from over-ruling small states ensures a fairer outcome
The electoral college is set up so that smaller states have a slightly greater input in the outcome of determining who is President. Someone can win 50.01% of the vote but not become President unless the representation they won is also across the nation. This is so that a candidate doesn't appeal only to the largest cities and over-rule a rural and suburban population. A democracy of 50%+1 may be a democracy, but it is not fair. The electoral college ensures the lesser populated minority still have a say.
Posted by: Pir4AndNO - The electoral college is the fairest and most representative process.
Each vote does count. We are a REPUBLIC which means representative government. We send duly elected representatives to congress to carry out our legislative wishes. We vote for Electors from our states to vote for our presidential and vice presidential choice at the electoral college. Our founding fathers placed this process in the Constitution as a compromise between election of the President by a vote in Congress and election of the President by a popular vote of qualified citizens. Congress does not choose the President, our electoral representatives cast the votes on our behalf. This along with staggered terms helps ensure checks and balances between the Executive and Legislative branches of government are in place, in a timely manner, and more in line with current political, economical, and social trends. Possibly more important are the votes for our Representatives and Senators. Is our system perfect? No. We have sent people to Congress who are guilty of plundering. The bright spot is we can recall them at election time. As Benjamin Franklin said "...we have given you a Republic if you can keep it.." (RE: the Roman Empire.) We need to vote for political parties and candidates who most closely adhere to the principles found in the Constitution and the Ten Commandments.
Posted by: AnonymousI think we should stick to the electoral college for presidential elections, because it prevents certain states from having too much influence.
We have always used the electoral college to pick our president, and I think we should continue to do so. If we went strictly by popular vote, some states would have too much influence in the election, while others would be ignored. Candidates would only campaign in big cities, and smaller cities and states wouldn't get much say in elections.
Posted by: GaudyTory37Problem of Nationalism.
Having a national vote encourages our government to become even more nationalist than it already is. When is the last time the people in your state made as big a deal about Congressional elections than the presidency? Isolating the vote by state prevents big government corruption and protects American citizens.
Posted by: AnonymousNo, the U.S. should not have a vote that counts individuals, instead of the electoral college, because it has worked well this way for many years.
No, the U.S. should not have a vote that counts individuals, instead of the electoral college. The electoral college has worked for a long time, and is a good way of having an election. It takes into account the different states, and how much they represent the U.S., as a whole.
Posted by: NorChiquitaIf the vote were purely on number of individuals, certain areas would not be campaigned in at all because they do not have the number of people that other areas do.
The original concept of the electoral college was to find a compromise that would give larger states with more people representation but even the smaller states would still have a minimum of representation. So even Wyoming has at least 3 electoral votes, even though the city of Dallas Texas has more people than the entire state of Wyoming. It is an important concept that even the sparsely populated states still have an important part of the election process. Otherwise the candidates would not care what they think because they do not have enough people to make it worthwhile to campaign there. That would be damaging in the long run. The people in the western less populated states are Americans too and need to have their voices heard as much as the people in the large urban areas.
Posted by: ddeathnoteThe United States should not implement a national vote instead of the electoral college, because all states should have an equal voice.
The United States should not implement a national vote instead of the electoral college. The electoral college was established to allow states with smaller populations to have a voice in the presidential voting process, comparable with those states with larger populations. If a national vote process was implemented, candidates would only focus on large population states, leaving smaller states disenfranchised.
Posted by: Cen2I0rd