Why Should the Electoral College Be Abolished? A Case for Democratic Reform

The Electoral College has been at the center of American political debate for decades, particularly after controversial elections where the popular vote winner lost the presidency. As a 236-year-old institution, it continues to shape how Americans elect their president—but should it? With 63% of Americans now favoring its abolition according to recent Pew Research polling, the question of whether this system still serves democracy has never been more urgent.

Understanding the Electoral College Problem

The Electoral College was established in 1788 as a compromise between those who wanted Congress to choose the president and those who preferred a popular vote. The system awards each state electoral votes equal to its congressional representation—two senators plus House members based on population. While the framers intended this to balance power between large and small states, the system has produced five presidents who lost the popular vote, including two in the last two decades alone.

The Core Arguments for Abolishing the Electoral College

It Violates the Democratic Principle of One Person, One Vote

In 2016, Hillary Clinton won nearly 3 million more votes than Donald Trump but still lost the presidency. This fundamental disconnect between the will of the people and the election outcome undermines the core democratic principle that every vote should count equally. A voter in Wyoming has nearly four times the electoral power of a voter in California due to the senatorial bonus and population disparities.

It Creates Battleground State Dominance

Presidential candidates focus overwhelmingly on a handful of competitive swing states while ignoring the vast majority of Americans. Research shows that over 90% of campaign stops occur in just 11 battleground states, with nearly two-thirds in Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and North Carolina alone. This means millions of voters in non-competitive states are essentially spectators in presidential elections.

Geographic and Economic Disparities Are Magnified

The Brookings Institution found that just 15% of American counties generate 64% of the nation's GDP. Yet through the Electoral College, the 35 economically smaller states with 70 senators have disproportionate power to choose presidents. This mismatch between economic vitality and political power could lead to regular discrepancies between popular and electoral votes becoming the norm rather than the exception.

Historical Roots in Slavery and Inequality

The Electoral College's origins are deeply connected to the three-fifths compromise, designed to give slave states greater influence despite their large non-voting enslaved populations. As constitutional scholars note, this system allowed the South to increase its congressional delegation by 42% through enslaved people who had no voting rights. The structural inequalities built into the system continue to suppress votes of people of color in favor of predominantly white rural states.

The Faithless Elector Threat

Throughout American history, 157 electors have voted contrary to their state's popular vote. In 2016, seven electors defected—the highest number in modern history. Recent court rulings have even questioned whether states can penalize faithless electors, creating uncertainty about whether future electors could nullify the will of millions of voters.

Paths to Reform

Two main approaches exist for eliminating the Electoral College. The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact has been adopted by 15 states and Washington D.C., committing electors to vote for the national popular vote winner once enough states join to reach 270 electoral votes. However, this compact faces legal challenges and is currently 74 electoral votes short of activation.

The more permanent solution requires a constitutional amendment—needing two-thirds approval from both houses of Congress and ratification by 38 states. While difficult, Congress has come close before, falling just two Senate votes short in 1934 and three votes in 1979. With over 700 proposals introduced to reform or abolish the Electoral College throughout American history, the momentum for change continues to build.

Why Now Is the Time for Change

As income inequality grows and geographic disparities widen, the Electoral College increasingly overrepresents smaller populations while diminishing the voices of millions. The system breeds delegitimization of presidential authority, fuels partisan division over election outcomes, and alienates most Americans from meaningful participation in choosing their president. Moving to a direct national popular vote would ensure every American's vote counts equally, eliminate the battleground state phenomenon, and restore faith in the democratic process.