The perrenial question: should we ditch the electoral college?

Heck yeah! I say that only because like you said, the less popular president is elected. I think that’s what happened with the Gore/Bush election. Gore had the most votes, but Bush won. The people decide who the president is, the EC should go bye-bye.

I think moving to a proportional system would be a good move at first. The winner-takes-all system is ridiculous. I also disagree the EC the reason for the two-party system in the US. But as it exists right now, voters outside swing states are basically disenfranchised, and having a president that did not win the popular vote is just embarrassing.

I agree that a popular vote might decrease campaigning in rural areas, however, it’s hard to say anymore what a rural state really is. The population is growing substantially in several West, Midwest, and Southern states. I think candidates would end up needing to campaign in these areas, if popular votes are as close as they have been the last few elections.

I have mixed feelings about it, but no matter what there is zero chance of that happening. It would require a constitutional amendment, and it would never be ratified.

filetofspam, I disagree that eliminating it would force candidates to run 50 state campaign. I think it would have the opposite effect, and that is one reason I am not sure it should be eliminated. With out it, candidates would virtually ignore sparcely populated states. They would concetrate solely in urban areas. It would proabably favor democrats, but would effectively leave out a large portion of the electorate.

Absolutely yes! Your #3 I sthe most important reason to me.

I’m a Democrat in a dark red state so there is no way I can affect the election.

My parents are Republicans in a dark blue state so there is no way they can affect the election.

Candidates spend most of their time campaigning in swing states ignoring most ot the country. Due to Obama’s huge war chest he did campaign in some states where he has no chance or where he has it in the bag but that is rare.

If we did away with the electoral college every vote would count and candidates would have to run 50 state campaigns.

Of course if all electors used proportional voting we could effectively have a popular vote without abolishing the electoral college.

Of course we should do away with it…however, will it happen? Nope.