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Ariana Coleman
Mr. Hawkins
American Government Period 5
18 October 2016
Abolishing the Electoral College
We the People, as the Constitution states, have the right to say whom we feel should be
the leader of our country, so one thinks. Said to be the land of the free and the home of the brave
notoriously known as The United States of America, but are they really just that? They are being
repressed to believe that they have some sort of say of who the leader of their country is. The
reason why the people have little to no say in their votes are because of the Electoral College.
They are a group of electors who actually get the real say in who they want to see become
President. The Electoral College should be abolished because it is exceedingly undemocratic, the
small states are being overrepresented, and it hurts third parties.
One reason why the Electoral College should be abolished is because of how
undemocratically operated it is. The Electoral College favors some citizens over others,
depending solely upon the state in which voters cast their votes for president. (Document D).
This shows that it violates political equality, and favors some states over others simply because
of where they are geographically placed. If voting were to be considered as one man one vote
that would seem fair as for everyone gets a say rather than those selected to vote solely on their
own opinion which is the one that would count. For example, how would this change the game if
candidate Donald Trump had obtained the votes of the electors in the smaller states and thus
created him to win the election, one could say that a tremendous amount of people would feel

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dismayed because Trump obviously does not have the popular vote. In comparison twelve
states + DCs population is 12,500,722 and their electoral votes are 44, Illinoiss population is
12,830,632 and their electoral votes are 20. (Document D). This shows that population does not
really matter because the smaller states have more electoral votes, which means they get just as
much say as an astronomical state. This also shows that even though Illinois is bigger that
thirteen states put together, they are still way underrepresented. How do they try to justify this
issue? They dont. An even better example is California with fifty-five electoral votes, and
Texas with 38 electoral votes whom currently have the two biggest populations in this country.
(Document A). Californias electoral votes are not getting represented percentage wise compared
to smaller states by far and nothing is being said to change the way this country is being
persuaded to think they are voting. The electoral college is undemocratically treating the smaller
states as if they are handicapped and aiding to their need of fewer population which is affecting
the votes way bigger than they believe. It shows that a candidate needs less than half the votes to
win, the electoral college is undemocratic; and the smaller states are being way overrepresented
which is why the electoral college should be abolished.
There is an unequal representation between the smaller and the bigger states all across the
U.S. Smaller states such Wyoming which accommodates about 500,000 voters have as much
say as the fifty-five representatives from California which represents about 35 million voters.
(Document F). This shows unfairness between the populated states and smaller states because the
smaller states clearly get the same amount of power as the bigger states. If the electoral votes
came to a tie the House of Representatives would then get delegation to vote on President, since
each state gets one vote that same rules would apply as said above which means that the smaller

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states would still get the same amount of say as the bigger states. How is the equal
representation? It isnt which is another problem with the Electoral College. In (Document A)
the map shows all the states and their number of electoral votes that they currently receive. As
you know each state's starts off with three electoral votes and they gain more based on
population. Since California and Texas are heavily populated their extra votes go to the
smaller states with fewer population. How is this fair that the smaller states receive extra votes
for people who arent really even there than the bigger states with the people who actually do
exist. The states should at least receive the amount of electors that they actually have than taking
away from the ones who truly matter, not to say that the smaller states dont matter. Or as said
above it should be abolished and turned into a one man one vote system where everyones vote is
counted which decides the overall decision thus getting rid of the electors and the undemocratic
system all at once. Visiting back to (Document D) which shows thirteen states population added
totaled less than Illinoiss population all together yet resulted in 44 electoral votes for the states
added up and only 20 electoral votes for Illinois. The people of the U.S. are being tricked to
believe that they have the right to vote for the leader of their country but little do they know they
have no control. In reality they are doing just that voting. This country should take these matters
in their own hands by trying to abolish this undemocratic system that allows the Electoral
College to make their own decisions, over represent small states, and lastly they hurt third party
candidates.
The Electoral College never gives third party candidates a chance. In (Document B) In
the 1980, and 1992 Presidential Election the third party candidates received 0 percent of the
electoral votes. This goes to show how the third party candidates gets no chance in leading the

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country. For example Bernie Sanders, whom one may believe had a pretty good shot at
becoming a great leader for the U.S. didnt quite get the opportunity simply because he was an
independent party. Who is to say that Sanders would have not been a great fit as the President of
the USA. Even in (Document B) it shows that the Independent didnt receive the popular vote
the electors still didnt even think to vote in the Independents favor. It shows no support to the
third parties. They show a clear winner in the electoral and popular vote, and just all together
eliminates the third parties. This goes to show that no matter what the people say the electors can
still vote in the way they choose. Also, that the third parties have no chance at being may one of
the best Presidents the United States has seen. Third parties hold just as much potential as their
fellow candidates and knowledge to do one job which is to make America the best country it can
be. They can have all the potential but its considered to not be enough not even for the Electoral
College to give them one vote.
One can agree that the undemocratic system known as the electoral college is not just all
bad. In (Document C) John Samples feels that the electoral college is an important part of our
federalist system- a system worth preserving. Samples is saying that the federalistic system is
preserving its power by allowing the smaller states to maintain all the power. One disagrees.
Samples wants to restrain the Government's power because it keeps the U.S. in order. Why
preserve a system that is currently going to self destruct in a matter of time if they dont take
head to their peoples opinions and make a change. In (Document C) McConnell says that is has
formed our political parties moderated our more extreme elements, and forged the presidential
campaigns that have given direction to our ship of state. Overall this represents political

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prosperity and limits the government enough to have order and state power. Which one can agree
is about the only good thing with this system.
As stated above the Electoral College should be abolished because it is tremendously
undemocratic, the smaller states are overrepresented, and it hurts third parties. All the evidence
stated above proves how this undemocratically, unstable system is an untrue fit for this country.
It is driving the states to separate the nation to self destruct and should be stopped. If not
abolished they should make huge enhancements to improve upon the rights of this country many
call home. To quote make America great again the famous words of Donald Trump, this
system should make changes for the benefit of the country and its people. Thus would make the
voters happy and would perhaps provide America with the best President yet to to see.

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