The electoral college debate, got any good sources?

[StrongBad]

I'd like to do a little research paper on this topic but don't know the full arguments presented by both sides. Do you have any good websites/articles/etc. that present the arguments by both pro and anti electoral college factions?

[arcos]

1. There was a thread a few weeks ago about it...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=108&topic_id=17396

[Tansy_Gold]

2. Consider the obstacles. . ..

To do away with the electoral college would require a Constitutional Amendment.

The electoral college gives a great deal of power to a lot of very small (population) states. Elimination of the electoral college and a switch to a straight popular vote in a presidential election would eliminate any need for candidates to consider the needs, wants, or even rights of the people of those states. And those are the very states that would have to ratify such an amendment. Do you really think they'd vote to make themselves irrelevant?

The electoral college -- as angry as we get over it -- serves a very valuable purpose in maintaining a balance of power between the big population states and the smaller ones. And that's one of the cornerstones of our government, that there will never be a tyranny of the majority.

Just something to think about.

[TomNickell]

3. Get rid of the actual 'electors'

One reform that ought to be done is to eliminate the human electors.

Just give each state a number of electoral votes and add them up.

Think what could have happened last time if Al Gore had started making calls to electors trying to switch a few votes. Need that bridge? Want to be ambassador to France?

I've no doubt Bush would have done that, if the totals had gone the other way.

[uptohere]

5. this has been done effectively by many states

by prohibiting an elector from voting contrary to their mandate.

[TomNickell]

4. Rename it--the Electoral -University-

nt