End the electoral college

Every political election in the United States is decided by popular vote. Why should the presidential election be any different? The recent vote by the Electoral College on December 14, 2020 was a symbolic reaffirmation confirming what we already knew shortly after the election ——

Joe Biden won with 7 million more popular votes than Donald Trump.

The Electoral College was a compromise by the Founding Fathers in 1787 between electing the president by popular vote or having Congress choose the president. Essentially we are voting for electors and the Constitution gives the electors the power to choose the president. In our history four presidents were elected that did not have the majority of the popular vote — two since the Year 2000 — George W. Bush and Donald Trump.

The Electoral College process is antiquated. Times have changed significantly since 1787. It is essentially unfair to have a process that may not result in the people’s choice, i.e. “the will of the people”. The Electoral College process is a profoundly unintelligent way to select who gets to hold the most powerful office in the world.

— Ed Vreeswyk of Yardville

Fun fact, in 2012, “The electoral college is a disaster for a democracy.” Then when he lost the popular vote in 2016 but won the Electoral College vote, he of course demanded that all Americans respect the process and abide by the traditions of that wonderful institution.

— Ed Note

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