The United States’ electoral college system is not fundamentally flawed

Henry Mcleish should not condemn outright the USA’S electoral college system (Scots man ,8 September ); in only five elections in 240 years has the popular vote winner not become president. Not many other broadly-successful countries have constitutions lasting so long.

In 2000 George Bush lost the popular vote by 0.5 per cent, but won the college by five votes out of 537. A map of the USA depicting the popular votes, not just by state but by county, showed his support throughout the USA was far more widespread than Al Gore’s.

It is certainly regret table (irrespective of one’s politics) that Trump’ s popular vote shortfall was as much as three million, so maybe the college requires some adjustment. But it reflects a perfectly reasonable attempt, in a federal system, to prevent populous states like New York, Texas and California from invariably dominating ever y presidential election. The Founding Fathers were no fools.

Does McLeish also want Scotland’s Westminster MPS to be reduced to reflect Holyrood MSP responsibilities, which together arguably give “an added and disproportionate importance” to Scotland?

The problems with US federal elections are their frequency, the abysmal quality of most recent candidates (from a population of over 300 million!), and low turnouts (especially among minorities).

The USA is in a near-permanent state of electioneering, with Congressional elections every two years and Presidential every four. But modern economies and societies need longer periods for new policies to take effect and their results reasonably judged.

A minimal change could be a six-year initial presidential term followed by four years if re-elected( though antiTrump and anti-biden voters would not agree). The existing S enate term of six years, with one-third of the 100 senators coming up for re-election every two years, could continue; and the House could also adopt that system in place of all 435 representatives being up for election every two years.

JOHN BIRKETT Horseleys Park, St Andrews