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How does the Electoral College compare to other voting systems used in democratic countries around the world?

Lynette Wasielewicz

The Electoral College is a unique feature of the American electoral system, and it has been the subject of much debate and criticism over the years. When compared to other voting systems used in democratic countries around the world, it’s clear that the Electoral College has both strengths and weaknesses.

Firstly, there are two major types of voting systems used in democratic countries - proportional representation and winner-takes-all. Proportional representation aims to give parties a proportional number of seats in parliament based on the percentage of votes they receive. This means smaller parties have a better chance of being represented. Winner-takes-all, on the other hand, is a system where the candidate with the most votes wins the election, regardless of the percentage of vote they receive. The Electoral College falls under the winner-takes-all category.

One of the strengths of the Electoral College is that it encourages candidates to campaign in all states, rather than just in the most populous states. This means that candidates have to appeal to voters in different regions of the country with different interests, values, and concerns. By contrast, in a proportional representation system, candidates might only focus on the issues that poll well with the largest group of voters. Additionally, the Electoral College ensures that candidates have to appeal to a wide range of voters in different regions, making it more difficult for a candidate to win by mobilizing a particular group in a specific geographic area.

However, one of the main criticisms of the Electoral College is that it can allow a candidate who loses the popular vote to still win the election. This means that the person who becomes president might not have received the most support from voters in the country. This has happened five times in American history, including in the 2016 election. This is a major drawback of the winner-takes-all system, as it can undermine the legitimacy of the election in the eyes of many voters.

Another drawback of the Electoral College is that it can discourage voter turnout, particularly in states where the outcome of the election is already known. This is because voters might feel like their vote won’t make a difference, which can lead to apathy and disengagement. In a proportional representation system, every vote counts towards the overall composition of parliament, so voters are more likely to feel like their vote matters and are therefore more likely to show up at the polls.

In conclusion, the Electoral College has both strengths and weaknesses when compared to other voting systems used in democratic countries. While it encourages candidates to campaign in all states and appeal to a wide range of voters, it can also lead to a candidate who loses the popular vote winning the election and can discourage voter turnout. Both proportional representation and winner-takes-all systems have their advantages and disadvantages, but it’s up to each individual country to determine which system works best for them.