Electoral College abolition amendment

Electoral College abolition amendment is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution that seeks to eliminate the Electoral College and replace it with a direct popular vote for the election of the President of the United States. The proposal has been a subject of debate among scholars, politicians, and the public for many years.

Background

The Electoral College is a body of electors established by the United States Constitution, which forms every four years for the sole purpose of electing the president and vice president of the United States. The Electoral College consists of 538 electors, and a majority of 270 electoral votes is required to elect the President. The system has been criticized for its potential to allow a candidate to win the presidency while losing the popular vote, as happened in the 2000 and 2016 elections.

Proposed Amendment

The Electoral College abolition amendment proposes to replace the current system with a direct popular vote. This means that the candidate who receives the most votes nationwide would win the election. The amendment would require a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and ratification by three-fourths of the states.

Arguments For and Against

Proponents of the amendment argue that it would make the presidential election more democratic by ensuring that the candidate with the most votes wins. They also argue that it would eliminate the possibility of a candidate winning the electoral vote but losing the popular vote.

Opponents, however, argue that the Electoral College protects the interests of smaller states and ensures a broad geographic representation. They also contend that a direct popular vote could lead to a proliferation of candidates and make it more difficult for any one candidate to receive a majority of the votes.

See Also

• Electoral reform in the United States
• National Popular Vote Interstate Compact
• United States presidential election

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Electoral College abolition amendment

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  Richard Nixon, official portrait

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  Hubert Humphrey, cropped portrait