This New Surge Could Kill the GOP…
(DailyVantage.com) – The Electoral College has a storied history. Article II of the US Constitution, dating back to 1787, called for the establishment of electors. When Americans cast their ballots, this system determines the next sitting president. Still, several times in history, the popular ballot didn’t align with the Electoral College vote, leading to controversy and calls for change. It seems the recent percentage of voters who want to move away from this system is growing.
According to a Pew Research Poll conducted from June 27 to July 4, 63% of those surveyed believe it’s time to eliminate the Electoral College in favor of the popular vote. The percentage is up from 55% in early 2021. Of course, there’s a split along party lines, with 80% of Democrats or those who lean left and only 42% of Republicans or those who lean right, agreeing change is necessary. The opinion varies among age groups, too, with 70% of the 18 to 29 crowd in favor. This opinion declines as the age brackets increase, with 56% of Americans 65+ supporting the move.
About 63% of Americans support using the popular vote and not the electoral college vote to select a president, according to Pew data — but opinions on the systems vary sharply by party and age.https://t.co/PbelKORaGI
— NPR (@NPR) August 10, 2022
Despite the increasing support for electing the US head of state via popular vote, change, which requires a constitutional amendment, is unlikely in the near term. An amendment would require a two-thirds supermajority agreement of both Congressional Houses and 75% of the states to ratify it. Because the Electoral College system benefits those in power, and the minority can’t achieve the necessary preponderance, discussions often end up dead-locked.
Had the popular ballot been in effect, former President Donald Trump would have lost to Hillary Clinton in 2016, and Al Gore would have defeated George W. Bush in 2000.
What do you think about the Electoral College system? Is it time for a change?
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