By John Q. Hosedrinker The Electoral College isn’t worth saving, even if it somehow blocks a Trump win. The very concept that a candidate can lose the popular vote yet still claim the presidency is fundamentally absurd and contradicts the basic principles of democracy. This system creates a scenario where my vote carries a different weight based solely on where I live, which I find deeply frustrating. It’s simply unfair that voters in certain states see their choices amplified over millions of others. Regardless of the political landscape or potential outcomes, the idea of preserving such a flawed mechanism is baffling.
My thoughts shift to the very real implications of voter disenfranchisement inherent in the Electoral College. It discourages participation because people living in solidly blue or red states often feel their votes don’t matter. Why should someone in California or Alabama ever bother showing up when they know the outcome is virtually predetermined? This system actively undermines the democratic process by discouraging engagement from vast segments of the population. Even if, somehow, the Electoral College were to prevent a Trump victory, which is a stretch, the very existence of this outdated institution carries with it an inequity that cannot be justified.
The fact that the last several elections have reduced to battleground states, with focus delegated to just a handful of areas, is indicative of how skewed this system is. It’s staggering to consider that millions of votes can be effectively nullified because the candidates are focused on just a few states with minimal margin differences. This isn’t a healthy democracy; it’s a national joke. The idea of basing the presidency on what happens in a few swing states while millions cast their votes is a recipe for frustration, and I fundamentally reject the notion that this system should remain intact.
There’s a pattern in modern history where the Republican Party has benefited most from the Electoral College, manipulating it to their advantage even when nationwide sentiments favor the opposing party. I can’t help but consider the hypocrisy that would ensue if the tables were turned. If a Republican were to lose the popular vote but win through the Electoral College, the uproar would be unprecedented. This isn’t about protecting the rights of states or ensuring that rural voices aren’t drowned out; it’s about a clinging to an antiquated system that privileges certain votes over others while effectively silencing millions.
The arguments in favor of preserving the Electoral College often stem from a misguided sense of tradition or a fear of empowering populous states like California. However, this sentiment essentially undermines democratic tenets. It exists beneath a veil of elitism that suggests that some votes carry more weight because of geography rather than humanity. It’s ludicrous to argue that the preferences of urban populations should be marginalized simply because they reside in large cities.
What’s most frustrating is knowing that a coalition of reform ideas is desperately needed to modernize our electoral processes. Dismantling the Electoral College should be at the forefront alongside initiatives to reform the Supreme Court and eliminate gerrymandering. For me, it’s maddening that we’re still having these conversations in 2023, given how outdated and ill-suited the Electoral College is for a society that prides itself on democracy. There’s no reason we should continue to cling to a system that has roots deeply embedded in compromises made centuries ago, like those that sought to placate the slaveholding states.
Ultimately, expecting the Electoral College to block a Trump win is largely naive. The pathway for Trump to regain the presidency is not through a loss of the popular vote, but rather the narrow advantages afforded by this antiquated system. I see the historical context behind the creation of the Electoral College as a failure rooted in social and political compromises that have long since outlived their relevance.
Our electoral processes deserve an overhaul that aligns with contemporary democratic values—one in which equal representation is not an aspirational idea but a tangible reality. To acknowledge that the Electoral College is anything other than an impediment to true democracy is to ignore the glaring disparities it enforces across the nation. It’s time to retire this institution for good, irrespective of the political ramifications that might arise from its demise.