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What was the original idea behind the Electoral College?

What was the original idea behind the Electoral College?

Originally, the Electoral College provided the Constitutional Convention with a compromise between two main proposals: the popular election of the President and the election of the President by Congress.

What are the three major criticisms of the Electoral College?

Three criticisms of the College are made:

  • It is “undemocratic;”
  • It permits the election of a candidate who does not win the most votes; and.
  • Its winner-takes-all approach cancels the votes of the losing candidates in each state.

How does the Electoral College affect political equality quizlet?

Under the concept of political equality, each person’s vote should carry the same weight as every other person. Each state has a given number of Electoral College votes, and these votes are awarded to a candidate based on the popular vote in that state.

Why was the Electoral College established?

The Founding Fathers established the Electoral College in the Constitution, in part, as a compromise between the election of the President by a vote in Congress and election of the President by a popular vote of qualified citizens.

What are the arguments against the electoral college system quizlet?

is plagued by three major defects: (1) the winner of the popular vote is not guaranteed the presidency; (2) electors are not required to vote in accord with the popular vote; and (3) any election might have to be decided in the House of Representatives.

What effect does the electoral college seem to have on the chances of a third party or independent candidate quizlet?

What effect does the Electoral college seem to have on the chances of a third-party or independent candidate? The electoral college could possibly get them elected. This is because they aren’t going to get any popular votes so they are soley relying on the electoral college.

What is gerrymandering and what are its implications for the democratic process?

The primary goals of gerrymandering are to maximize the effect of supporters’ votes and to minimize the effect of opponents’ votes. By “cracking” districts, a political party could maintain, or gain, legislative control by ensuring that the opposing party’s voters are not the majority in specific districts.