Is the Electoral College Flawed and if So How do We Change It?

[J Baustian]

Originally Posted by hitpausebutton2

So remind me again whats the reason for not having popular vote? other then bigger towns will have better battle grounds for debates?

That would be US Constitution.

[phetaroi]

Originally Posted by J Baustian

Yes, the winner takes the oath of office and the loser goes home.

But if each congressional district chooses an elector individually, then presidential candidates will have to campaign everywhere. Not just in the swing states like today, or the handful of most populous states if the Constitution is amended to eliminate the Electoral College. (which, of course, will not happen)

The only problem with that is that you exaggerate the importance of face-to-face campaigning. The percentage of Colorado Springs' voters who went to see, for example, Barack Obama when he campaigned here is minuscule. The in-person campaigning is mostly done to get free air time. I would guess that less than 1% of the national population saw either presidential candidate live and in person in the field during the last election.

[J Baustian]

You are right that face-to-face campaigning is not important. But if a presidential candidate has $1 billion to spend, I would rather see him or her spend some of that in every state, instead of subjecting just the poor voters in 6 or 8 or 10 battleground states to thousands of TV and radio ads.

[KayT15]

Originally Posted by J Baustian

You are right that face-to-face campaigning is not important. But if a presidential candidate has $1 billion to spend, I would rather see him or her spend some of that in every state, instead of subjecting just the poor voters in 6 or 8 or 10 battleground states to thousands of TV and radio ads.

Nobody is forcing anyone to view TV ads.