Modern Election Arguments Against The Electoral College

Modern Election Arguments Against The Electoral College
Brendon Goss
Ms. Houle
English 9–8
11 April 2017
The Modern Election–Arguments Against the Electoral College
The electoral college is a mash–up of ancient ideas that amalgamate in an outdated mess that doesn 't make sense in the modern day. In the 2000 US
election, George W. Bush won the electoral college and lost the popular vote, This proved that the electoral college has too much power in comparison
to the popular vote and disproved what the founding fathers had planned for the college included all peoples having equal representation. The founding
fathers had planned the electoral college as a compromise between the people and congress choosing the president. With modern day technologies, this
system from the as become obsolete. The ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The electoral college has not changed since its conception in the first congressional convention in 1836. Even then, many of the pre–existing things are
vague and cryptic such as in the constitution the electoral college is only referenced once in article II. Article II–1 of the U.S. Constitution states "The
executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together
with the Vice– President, chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may
direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no
Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector."(Presidental Election
Laws, ). As this reading states briefly that the number of electors is dictated by a legislator and the legislator bases the number of electors on the
population. These things should be fixed in order to better represent all states equally within the electoral college.
Arguments Against the Electoral College
The four major arguments against the Electoral College
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Electoral Reform in Canada Essay
Since party politics began in Canada, the style in which leaders are elected is comparable to a horse race. Using the single member plurality (SMP),
more commonly referred to as "first past the post," method of seat allocation in both the House of Commons and each province's Legislative
Assembly, whoever gets the most votes is asked to form the government; this only takes into accounts the number of seats a party wins, not the
overall popular vote. In a political system not limited to two parties, like the United States, many times over 50% of Canadians do not want the party
that won, to win. In this current electoral system, votes are wasted, smaller parties are terribly misrepresented and, in some cases, a party with a lower
percent of... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Federally, there is a commission put together each decade to reassess electoral boundaries; sometimes boundaries are redrawn, sometimes in the event
of a population boom in an area – a move from rural to urban. Normally, "the number of voters per constituency should not... vary more than + or –
25% from the average," (SFU.ca). The number of electoral district equals the number of seats in the Legislative Assembly of that province; in New
Brunswick, there are currently 55 seats in the Legislative Assembly. This means that, unlike some electoral systems, there is only one candidate
running in each riding. For a potential Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) to win their seat, they must get a higher percentage of the vote –
just one percent higher. Because one only needs one percent more than their contestants, rather than majority of the vote, SMP is sometimes referred
to as "first past the post." Finally, the party and leader can form the government if they have more seats than the other parties; this does not really take
into account the popular vote. If the leading party won more than half of the seats it is referred to as a majority government; however, if less than half
the seats were won it is called a minority government and, if the opposition and other parties so choose, they can vote to dissolve government, thus
calling an election. While SMP has its faults, there is a reason that provinces have not voted in favour of electoral reform. One of

Assess the Criticisms of the Various Electoral Systems in...
Assess the criticisms of the various electoral systems used in the UK
In the UK, we have been using the First Past The Post system as our electoral system since we became a democracy. Whilst this system works for us,
there are many systems that we could use, these being: Closed Party List, AMS, STV and Supplementary Vote. All these have various strengths and
weaknesses to them.
First Past the Post is the system we currently use in the UK, but whilst some may enjoy this system, there are limitations to this system. Perhaps the
strongest criticism of the system is that it does not proportionally reflect the voting of the people. What is meant by this is that a party may receive
less proportion of seats in the General Election than ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The Additional Member system is able to combine both First Past The Post and Proportional representation. A proportion of sets is awarded through
FPTP, while the rest are awarded on a regional list system. The electorate is able to vote for a constituency candidate, and a party as well. Therefore
some of the elected representatives have a constituency to look after, whilst other do not. The rest are allocated on a proportional basis. AMS is used
in the UK for the elections for the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales and the London Assembly. The main advantages to this
system is that there is a fair degree of proportionality to the votes cast and that voters can vote for both candidates and parties. However, seeing as this
party would seeem intitially to be the ideal voting system, there are strong disadvantages which limit its potential. Perhaps the most obvious one is
that it fails to provide a majority very often. For example, when used for the London Assembly in 2012, Labour gained 12 seats, the most for a
single party, and the Conservatives gained 9, however Labour were still not able to gain a majority of seats as the Green Party and Liberal Democrats
won 2 each, showing that if this was used for the general elections, we would end up with another coalition.
Another voting system used is the Single Transferable Vote System. The idea is that people vote just for the candidates and not parties. Several
candidates are put up in a

Essay about Young Americans Must Vote!
Young Americans Must Vote!
Why vote? This is a major question among many young Americans today. America's youth, does not take the time to read articles, observe the news, or
pay attention to presidential debates and campaigns due to their busy schedules. This creates two problems. First, young voters have little knowledge of
current issues in the election. Also as a result, they are unaware of the importance of voting. Each presidential election stirs up an old controversy of
whether to vote or not to vote. There are many young people who think that voting is not important; I believe that it is. By voting you are exercising
your right as an American to voice your opinion, and young Americans need to become aware of this.... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Each state appoints a number of electors that equals the number of senators and representatives of their state. The popular vote determines how the
electoral college of each state will vote. The candidate with highest amount of votes from the electoral colleges wins the election. This process of
electing a president based on the majority of electoral votes began when the Constitution was written in 1776. Our forefathers designed this system
because they felt it was the fairest way to govern.
I agree with our forefathers that majority rule is the fairest way to hold any type of election . Klassen is correct in stating that when a majority gets
their way, a minority does not. But again, he offers no alternative to our way of voting. He also used the word "ruled" when referring to the
minority in order to make our system of voting seem as though it causes injustice. While we do live in a state that is governed by laws, I would not
go so far as to say that we are a country that is "ruled." In my opinion, the word "ruled" implies unfair, harsh treatment or injustice of some kind. I do
not believe that our system of electing leaders leaves a minority to be "ruled." I believe that

Essay Electoral College Reform
Electoral College Reform
Since the fiasco that was the Presidential Election in the year 2000, many Americans have been calling for a reform of the Electoral College. Most of
these people were Gore supporters; disillusioned by the fact that Bush won the office of the President while, in fact, he lost the popular vote. The
American people did not elect George W. Bush; theElectoral College did.
Last year's circumstance was the first of its kind in over a century. There have been many close elections, but none have resulted in the popular
candidate losing to his opponent. The Electoral College cast the final vote in that election. The people who went out to the polls in November, many of
whom believing that they were indeed voting for ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
"Any congressional record probes that many American representatives like to avoid change" (Houser, 1) thus presenting the first problem. A
constitutional amendment would be required in order to make any changes regarding the Electoral College. In order to ratify an amendment, it is
essential that it be proposed either by the Congress with a two–thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a
constitutional convention called for by two–thirds of the State legislatures. The latter of the two methods has never occurred resulting in an amendment.
In order to make a reform possible, it is necessary to decide what problems we are attempting to reform. "Obviously, we need to reform the habit of
using cheap and unreliable voting equipment such as Votomatic card punches, but that is not a constitutional issue" (Kienitz, via Internet).
The "winner–take–all" system that embodies the Electoral College is generally the most offensive to voters. With this idea, examining any given state
as its own entity, there could be an extremely close election, but the winner in that state will take all of the electoral votes for that state (in 48 states out
of 50). This is especially relevant in larger states where the difference between winning and losing is has the most impact when the vote goes into the
Electoral College.
This idea leads to a large loss of political efficacy. It's no wonder that

Britain and Its Level of Democracy Essay
Britain and Its Level of Democracy
Democracy is a political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them. We say that Britain is
a democracy; every four years we elect politicians to represent our views and opinions. But given that the majority of politicians are white, middle age,
middle class men how can we say that they are truly representative of the entire population.
Is Britain a true democracy when only 59% of the people vote? The other 40% of the population's voice is not being heard at all. Although all have to
right to vote many feel that it is pointless because the parties they want to vote for will never get in power. Their ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
For example in 2001 43% of people voted for labour and yet they had 63% of the seats. Lord Hailsham once referred to this system as an "elective
dictatorship" in that a powerful government can be created with overwhelming Parliamentary power which can usually push through its required
legislation – but with only a minority of the country supporting it.
When we vote in MPs and the prime minister we do this usually because of their proposed policies. In an ideal world they would be forced to keep
them but they often don't. There are many examples of this from labour's previous manifestos. In both 1997 and 2001 the labour party said it was not
going to raise taxes, but after being voted in they introduced new types of taxes, stealth taxes. Also in both manifestos they have promised to ban fox
hunting. Although there has been much discussion on this topic no ban has yet been but in place after 7 years in office.
There are people in Britain who have a large amount of power over the population as a whole, being able to make decisions that affect everyone who
are not elected into their position. Examples of these are judges, they can make decisions on the law and sentences of prisoners, the House of Lords,
who can stall and even block new laws,

Should Felons Be Able to Vote Essay
Should Felons Be Able to Vote? "We let ex
–convicts marry, reproduce, buy beer, own property and drive. They don't lose their freedom of religion,
their right against self–incrimination... they can't be trusted to help choose our leaders... If we thought criminals could never be reformed, we wouldn't
let them out of prison in the first place (Chapman, Steve)." Many believe that felons should be able to vote due to the fact that they served their time
in prison and already received their consequence. When felons already served their time, they are told they have their "freedom". Yet, they do not have
the same rights they did before they were arrested. Felons have paid enough of a price by serving their assigned sentence which shouldn't lead ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Anyhow, there are people who believe that felons should not be given the right to vote once they are out due to the fact that they have broken the law
and don't have the right to choose a leader. For instance, the declaration of Independence states that unalienable rights include life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness. It does not say life, liberty and the right to vote. John Locke, who played an important part in the founding of America, also
believed that each individual had certain rights that by nature they were entitled to, however, he also believed that the government had a duty to protect
those rights. If someone violates another's rights to life, liberty and property, then they forfeit their own rights to these things and society can punish
him by removing their rights. The criminal has broken their social contract and violated the trust of their fellow citizens. In addition, not everyone is
allowed to vote. Children, non citizens and those mentally incompetent are among those whose rights. "Voting requires certain minimum, objective
standards of trustworthiness, loyalty and responsibility, and those who have

2000 US Presidental Election Essay
Introduction
The US Presidential Election of 2000 featured George W. Bush and Al Gore. It will go down in history as one of the most closest electionsВЎВ¦ in US
history. It also goes down as one of the most controversial. The final decision was based on just a few hundred votes in Florida. The controversy
began when the media prematurely declared the winner twice based solely on exit polls. They finally conceded that the Florida count was just too
close to predict. It would take a month before the election was ultimately certified after numerous court challenges and vote recounts. Republican
candidate George W. Bushwas declared the winner of the FloridaВЎВ¦s 25 electoral votes. This was a victory by a razor ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Another important issue in Al GoreВЎВ¦s campaign was the protection of Social Security. This is an issue as important to the American citizens as
taxes. People are in need of being reassured that the program remains solvent for their use when needed. American pay into the system and they expect
to be recipients in their time of need.
George W. Bush was no stranger to politics. His father is George H. Bush, the 41stPresident of the United States. Son, George W. had his own career
and experience working to his advantage in the state of Texas as Governor. Early in his second term as Governor, plans were being constructed for his
run for the nationВЎВ¦s highest office. BushВЎВ¦s choice for a running mate was Dick Cheney. Bush felt that he was the best man for the position
given his history in elected and appointed offices. CheneyВЎВ¦s resume includes serving as chief of staff under former president Gerald Ford, and
secretary of defense for his father. This decision also gave George W. the solidarity it lacked when people questioned his experience. Cheney would be
there to guide George W. in times of need.
George W. Bush ran his campaign on the philosophy of renewed moral leadership. Something that had been lost in the Clinton–Gore administration.
Bush focused on issues such as providing tax cuts and improving education. He also had a desire to change Social Security by letting people invest a
portion of their funds in

Essay about The Controversy Over the Electoral College...
The Controversy Over the Electoral College System
A number of Americans fail to realize that when they vote they are not voting for the president and vice–president directly, but for electors who then
cast their ballots in the Electoral College. Until the recent battle between Gov. George W. Bush and Vice
–president Al Gore for the presidency, thisnew
generation of American voters has never witnessed a controversial election. Historically, there have been problematic elections allowing voters to
question this system. The Electoral College is now a process open to criticism and debate, specifically because many do not understand its origin or
purpose today. On November 7, 2000, Election Day, I was excited to become an official voter.... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Yet in the morning, I learn that Florida is again announced "too close to call" because by Florida law, the percentage difference between the
candidates was so marginal, a recount was necessary. Is this possible to have such a close race and no president announced on Election Day? Because
Al Gore had a slim lead in the popular vote, the decision of which candidate receives the electoral votes in Florida seemed irrelevant to the people.
However, there have been many presidents who have merely won the plurality vote, meaning they have not received a majority of the popular vote,
but electoral votes, therefore becoming minority presidents. John Quincy Adams, with 30.92 percent of the popular vote defeated Andrew Jackson
in 1824, which was decided by a contingency election in the House of Representatives. Even Abraham Lincoln became a minority president in the
election of 1860. He polled the lowest popular vote percentage in the history of the presidency. In 1876, Rutherford B. Hayes was elected with 47.95
percent of the popular vote and 185 electoral votes, compared to Tilden who held 50.97 percent and 184. Minority presidents also include: Woodrow
Wilson, Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon(1968), and Bill ClintonHowever, the election of 1888 is similar to our current situation.
Benjamin Harrison won the election against Cleveland in which no candidate polled a majority, yet Cleveland beat him in the

вЂ Nowadays, ItвЂ™s Neither Politicians nor Voters Who Decide...
'Nowadays, it's neither politicians nor voters who decide elections, it's the media.' Discuss
In modern democracy the issue of who decides elections is one that is particularly important to investigate due to the idea that in a perfect democracy,
the majority of power should lie with the electorate, as by definition democracy means the rule of the people. Whilst much debate about the
relationship between the media and democracy focuses on the role of different types of media, and the media as a platform, the focus of this essay
shall be to analyze the electoral influence of the independent mass media. In order to be able to decide elections, the media should be able to manipulate
both voters and politicians as they are generally held to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
presidential campaign of 1992, the media and candidates focused on similar issues, but there was minimal proof that the media were responsible for
this agenda convergence. Therefore, to assert that the media consistently decides elections by dictating which issues are salient is misplaced. This
study shows that even when public and media agendas align, it is not as simple as stating that this is due to the fact that media are dictating the
agenda. This then undermines conclusions reached from McCombs and Shaw (1972) in their Chapel Hill research whereby the strong correlation
between public and media agenda was concluded to be a case of the media directing public opinion.
However, just because the media does not always lead public opinion is not to say that the role of the media in agenda setting is not important. It is in
fact the disproportionate influence that politicians ascribe to the media which gives the media some power in being able to influence elections. As
Walgrave & Van Aelst state (p.100, 2006), political actors follow media cues in theelection period due to the fact that 'media coverage is
associated with public opinion'. In this sense it is irrelevant that the views of the media and the public are not the same, so long as political actors
consider the media to be a gauge of the public mood. This is reinforced by Schudson (1996), who argues that the power of the mass media lies not in
manipulating the general public, but in the belief from

Senate Election Reform Essay
The turn of the 20th century brought a tremendous amount of change to the United States, its government and its citizens. A greater amount of
prosperity and technology increased citizens exposure to information. With this information came empowerment, with empowerment came the ability
to make more informed decisions about government at all levels. As people learned more they were no longer accepting of the status quo of the States
appointing their Senators. With this, pressure came and ultimately the 17th Amendment, allowing people to directly elect their Senators. The 17th
Amendment came relatively easy but it was not without its own controversy then or now. The 17th Amendment is a relatively simple and straight
forward document.... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
691). As the United States developed after the civil war and people gained greater access to news and education they began to see the corruption within
the senate appointment process. This started a push for electoral reform and the progressive movement. It should not be over looked either that the
election of Senators by popular vote would not only leave the nomination and election of the members of the legislature upon the simple issue of
their fitness, but it would place every candidate before the people, where his views and relationship to the public interests of the State could be
known and understood by all. In the first eighty years of Congress, only nine resolutions proposing a constitutional amendment for direct election of
senators were introduced in Congress. In the 1870s and 1880s the number increased, and by 1912 no fewer than 287 such joint resolutions had been
introduced. Not until 1892 was a resolution reported favorably from committee in the House. From 1893 to 1902, momentum increased considerably.
The spread of direct primaries in the 1890s led in many states to expressions of a popular choice for senator on the primary ballot. One–party
legislatures in the South generally ratified the popular choice, though the primary was less effective in putting over the popular choice in other states.
Oregon in 1901

By Using the Structural Functionalist Approach, Discuss...
Rule by the people is what a democracy is made of, this might be achieved by having the party in power elected into office into office by the
majority, the term democracy and the practice itself is diverse in each country but it has similar features which characterize all forms. This essay
explains the impact or contributions of political parties in a Liberal Democracy using the Structural functionalist Approach. It will also converse the
important roles that these political parties play in every political structure, specifically in Zambia. To start with, it will explain what the terms Liberal,
Liberal Democracy and Political Parties are; it will also explain the Structural functionalist Approach. Thereafter, the works and critiques of... Show
Political parties being vital elements in the political, arena influence the government of the day in so many ways. Apolitical party is a structure in a
political system or in this case in a liberal Democracy which plays a number of roles in ensuring democratic development. According to Nassau
(1979: 211) he defines a Political party as "a group of persons united in opinions or actions, more or less permanently organised, which attempt to bring
about the election of its candidates to public office and by means to control or influence the actions and policy of government". Many scholars have
coined different definitions of political parties but most of them mainly emphasize the participation in elections and the interest to gain public offices
and mandates and all have a long term goal of putting into effect its Political, Social and Economic philosophy.
The Structural functionalist Approach is an approach that studies, analyses and views structures and systems in any social setting with regards to the
role or functions they play in the development of any society. A political party being a structure in a political system has a vital role or function it plays
in society. Political scientists Gabriel Almond and Bingham Powell (1966) introduced a Structural Functionalist approach to comparing political
systems. They argued that in order to understand a political system, it was necessary to

Essay on Voter Id Laws
Voter ID Laws: Common Sense
The ability to vote is one of the most cherished and fundamental rights in the United States of America. Unfortunately, the validity and reliability of
our democratic system is constantly under attack by the real issue of voter fraud. While a solution for this problem hasn't been decided upon,
Republicans strongly advocate the usage of voter ID (which could be anything from a drivers license to a passport) to ensure that whomever is going
to the polls is exactly who they say they are, and happens to still be alive. This common sense solution has come under attack by numerous Democrats,
stating that this is merely a direct attack on minorities and the elderly who "can't obtain a sufficient form of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Another point made by those who claim discrimination against Americans with voter ID laws is that some Americans may be too deep in poverty to
afford identification. This, again, is an invalid argument. Government issued ID prices range anywhere from $5.00–$20.00 depending on which state
you live in. While some people may indeed be in poverty, these prices wouldn't exactly break the bank, especially since poor individuals are most
likely receiving money from government programs. In states such as Georgia and Indiana, anyone who cannot afford a voter ID will be presented
with one for absolutely no cost. All you must simply do is go to town hall, smile for the camera, and voila, you're eligible to vote. All while ensuring
that every citizen's vote counts and lessening the chances of voter fraud.
The final argument made by those who oppose common sense is that the chance of voter fraud occurring is slim to none. In 2010, an election held for
sheriff in West Virginia was found to have been largely comprised of voter fraud. Jerry Bowman, the sheriff who committed the crime, admitted to
falsifying more than 100 ballots and voting with some of the ballots himself, making the election an easy win. This incident has lead to a serious push
to enact voter ID laws to help curb the possibility of fraud. Situations like these can be avoided by taking the necessary steps to protect the truly corrupt
voting system we have in place today.

Essay about Compulsory Voting
Industrial Countries all over the world have seen a steady decline in voter participation; Great Britain is a great example of this. The country has
witness turnout in elections falling slowly as time pass. However, the election of 2001 dropped the country from their average of 76% voter turnout to
just a 59.4% turnout. Comparatively, Australia, a former colony of Britain, has enjoyed high and steady voter participation since 1924 because of the
implementation of compulsory voting. This system has proven to be not only effective in bring voters to the polls, but also effective in improving
Australia's democracy. By evaluating these two countries with similar political structure; one can see the difference in compulsory voting turnouts...
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However, it is not constitutionally recognized as a legal entity, therefore, giving its decisions no legal force. The main parties of Australia are: the
Labour Party, Liberal Party, National Party, and the Australian Democrats; these parties are voted in through a preferential system of voting
("Australia's Political Structure," 2011). All citizens over the age of 18 are required to vote for these parties because of compulsory voting (adopted in
1924). Australia followed many other democracies on there decision to implement compulsory voting during the 1920s. However, the country
unusually added mandatory voting without other previsions (Birch, 2009). Australia was able to do so because of several strong factors supporting the
measure. The left (the Labour Party) had already used a form of social compulsion through trade unions getting their supporters to the polls. Bring in
compulsory voting would rectify this imbalance between the left and the right votes (Birch, 2009). Furthermore, voters would no longer be in a
position to demand transportation to the polls producing lower party cost. Several other factors include: raising turnout, greatening the legitimacy of
government, enhancing the public education on politics, and the fact that voting is considered a duty–not only a right (Birch, 2009). Since the adoption
the system has widely been supported. At the highest point of support peaked at 73% in favor of compulsory voting

The Good, the Bad, and the Apathetic Essay
The Good, the Bad, and the Apathetic
Another presidential election year rolls around for America and what will the vote decide? Sometimes equally debated and foretold, another issue
exists that does not appear on the ballot. How many people will turnout at the polls to cast their vote for their governmental representatives? The
patterns of American history would say that not very many will show up. "Indeed, voter turnout has fallen from its peak of 63 percent in 1960 to just
below half during the last presidential election, in 1996. As a result, the world's leading democracy ranks 140th in voter turnout among democratically
elected governments (Cooper)." They make this point at what seems like every election in recent ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It occurred to me that many people have this same problem and that many people are discouraged from even registering, because the process as easy
it may be to go to the post office or Department of Motor Vehicles for a form could still be too much for a busy American to handle and the task could
be pushed back on the list too many times.
The problem of low voter turnout appears in the news about elections all too often. It would seem that this problem should not be ignored because it
reappears frequently during election news throughout the years. Most people know that only a small percentage of eligible voters actually turnout and
this marks it with importance. Voters lost confidence in the past presidential election with the snafus encountered in counting the vote in Florida. This
voter distrust adds to the publicity of the problem with voting and discourages people from voting. In addition, because voter apathy has not sprung up
recently, but rather has reoccurred over a large portion of American history, as previously cited, it deserves some attention.
There exists those who believe that people not showing up at the polls does not merit enough importance to deserve a solution. They argue that the
voters do not vote because they are satisfied and do not believe that they need to vote in order to make any changes. Bill Hobby points out that even
though Texas allows for early voting and has education programs in place

Is Venezuela a Democracy? Essay
Opinions about the state of democratic governance in Venezuela during the government of President Hugo ChГЎvez FrГas have been polarized. Some
critics come close to labeling it a dictatorship while others, his supporters, claim to be restoring a truly democratic regime to Venezuela. Venezuelan
society is polarized along political lines and this climate does not help to consolidate liberal democracy. In such a context, it is easy to fall into
simplistic, black and white views; however, it is important to seek a more gradual and balanced appreciation of the complex issues at play. There also
should be an understanding of how Venezuelans themselves view the state of their democracy. Assessments of the functioning of democracy should
also take ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
While international monitors have endorsed the results of recent elections, they have also raised concerns over the lack of transparency of the electoral
institutions, specifically of the National Electoral Council (CNE) ("Country Report: Venezuela"). In the events surrounding the controversial August
2004 recall referendum, the CNE came to conduct business along party lines, with pro–ChГЎvez members consistently outvoting opposition–aligned
members by three to two. Since then, the composition of the CNE has become even more pro–government, with ChГЎvez supporters holding four of
the five seats. This clear domination of a key electoral institution increases the chances that election rules will be made and interpreted in ways that
favor ChГЎvez and his allies at the expense of the opposition.
However, the elections have not been stolen; the international community has confirmed that no foul play has occurred in these controversial elections.
The irregularities that have been denounced by the opposition have been viewed by international observers as indiscretions that have not affected
outcomes. Indeed, the Carter Center and the OAS both deemed valid the results of the hotly contested August 2004 recall referendum, won by
President Hugo ChГЎvez FrГas with 59 percent of the vote.
Participation rights are also a key component to ensuring the position of democracy. Groups should

Essay about The Electoral College
The Electoral College The Founding Fathers wrote the Electoral College into the United States Constitution as insurance against popular passion
electing the chief executive into office. They believed there needed to be a buffer between the people and election of the president. Also a concern of
the forefathers was they did not want the states with a larger population to completely overshadow the states with a smaller populace. The Electoral
College system was devised to help cope with these problems. The Constitution was written and ratified in 1787 more than two hundred years ago. At
the time of drafting the drafters of the Constitution never imagined there would be a two political parties that dominate our system of government or...
In every state except for two, the candidate who wins the popular vote receives all the states electoral votes no matter how close the popular vote
in that state. On the Monday following the second Wednesday of December each State's electors meet in their respective state capitals and cast
their electoral votes. The electoral votes for each State are then sealed and sent to the President of the Senate who reads the results in front of both
houses of the Congress. The candidate with the most electoral votes provided that it is an absolute majority, is declared president. If no candidate
receives a majority then the decision falls upon the House of Representatives. In that event each State gets one vote for the president and once again
an absolute majority is required to elect. This system has some problems that need to be overcome ("How "). A problem that some fear and has
come to the nations attention because of the presidential election of 2000; the ability for candidate to win the popular vote but still not be elected
president. This can occur because of the winner take all system. No matter how slim the victory is in a state the winner receives every electoral vote
for that state. There have been a few proposals to revamp this winner take all system but none have gained enough support to pass as legislation

Persuasive Speech On Presidental Election
What is the presidental election, the election is where we, the people, yes us, elect officals to govern us and to run the government (legislative,
executive, judical branches).right now Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and Bernie Sanders but Bernie Sanders droped out. We do this to elect a
president to lead the executive branch. "Donald Trump, the billionaire businessman whose outsider campaign has both galvanized millions of voters
and divided the Republican Party, is the 2016 GOP presidential nominee."(www.cnn.com). He is running because he beleives in a better america. As
Donald Trump said: "Such a great honor to be the Republican Nominee for President of the United States. I will work hard and never let you down!
AMERICA FIRST!"
"Hillary

The British Voting System, Undemocratic
This essay will be dealing with the question how the British voting system tends to be undemocratic in comparison with two other European voting
systems – the French and German. The United Kingdom counts five distinct types of elections: UK general elections, elections to national/regional
parliaments and assemblies, elections to the European Parliament, local elections and mayoral elections.(wikipedia, 2008).According to the facts and in
comparison with the French and German systems, the British voting system might be undemocratic. Held generally each four years ( in the UK,
Ireland, Norway) or five years( in France), elections suppose a certain democracy. But what is a democracy? Since the late nineteenth and early
twentieth centuries, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Whoever comes in the government reflects the majority's desire. In this point, this system tends to be more democratic than the First Past the
Post–system in the UK and the voters are encouraged to "vote with their hearts" in the first round and then "vote with their heads". ( European
Politics, pp 134) There is in this system more place and chance for big and small parties.
The Federal Republic of Germany, a federal parliamentary republic of sixteen states uses a mixed system. In this system, voters are given two votes.
One to vote for a candidate in their local constituency or district; the other to vote for a list in a multimember constituency. (European Politics, pp 135).
The benefit or advantage of this system is that it ensures, whatever the results of the constituency, the overall result of the election in a more or less
proportionally way. For this reason this list, the list in a multimember constituency, is a compensatory one. As has been demonstrated, voters in
Germany even get 2 votes, which makes this system more democratic than any other. The voters really have the feeling that their voices are
important, that they can decide who they want in the government and there is no feeling of wasted voices. Besides, a chance is also given to all
parties and the fight for power is not only in the hands of a few groups. In this option, the mixed system seems also more democratic than the British
one.
Initially, one of the most widely used system, the

Essay on The Electoral College Should Be Revised
The Electoral College Should Be Revised
As citizens of the United State of America, one of our most important rights is that of which to vote. By voting, the general population has a say in
who its leaders are. Votes for local, state, and even federal representatives directly reflect who the constituents want in office. However, America's
highest office is not elected by a vote of the people. Instead we use a confusing and outdated system called the Electoral College. Our president is
not elected by the people, but by 538 electors who can legally vote for whomever they choose. Several times in our nations history an elector has
voted against the people's will. Three presidents have been elected into office by the electoral college and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The decision on how to choose who these electors would vote for was left up to the states. Most states eventually decided to use the general ticket
system where all of that state's votes go to one candidate, whoever receives a majority of the votes in that state. The system for solving ties or failure
to win a majority in the electoral college is to send the vote to the House of Representatives. There, each state is given one vote to cast for president. A
vote is taken until one candidate has a majority.
This system needs to be put to an end. The American people are well enough informed to elect their own president without the aide of an Electoral
College. The electors in the Electoral College do not actually make decisions anyway. They are just figurative for they should vote along their
state's popular vote, even though most are not legally bound to do so. Even though the electors' votes reflect that of their state's popular vote, the
views of the people are not always represented. If one candidate receives 50.1 percent of the popular vote, and the other candidate receives 49.9
percent, the candidate with only .2 percent more of the popular vote receives all of that states electoral votes. This system is also very unfair to the
third party candidate. He/she has very little chance of receiving any electoral votes. In 1992, Ross Perot won 19 percent of the national

Essay on Campaigns and Elections
Campaigns and Elections Political campaigns are very significant in American politics and elections. It is the period before the electorate makes
political decisions in the form of elections. The attention of the citizens towards politics intensifies as the date of the elections draws near. The salience
of voters improves as the election date draws near and could manifest in the form of increased media attention. Political discussions, campaign interest,
strength of the intention to vote, and knowledge about the candidates are other manifestations of increased salience of voters. Another indication of
improved intensity is the effort put by the candidates and their political parties in the campaigns. Parties increase their efforts in the ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
Candidates have a chance to present their ideas to the citizens through debates and other platforms that are available for the candidates. It provides a
platform for the citizens to debate important issues with the candidates and among themselves. Reform agendas presented by the candidates result in
vibrant democratic politics, which requires the conscious participation of citizens. It provides a chance for citizens to engage in political activity with
others. Political campaigns enable the citizens to contribute to the nomination process thus choosing the best candidate in their party. American politics
involves candidates who mostly make unambiguous statements thus conveying their message to the citizens effectively. This means that the citizens
have a solid basis on which to make decisions during the nominations and the elections. Distortions in communication due to misstatements are reduced
by the accuracy and lack of ambiguity in information communicated the candidates (Schmidt, Shelley, & Bardes, 2009). The campaigns are effective
since they result in the election of candidate with the most promising policies and reforms. The focus of the campaigns is national and social issues,
which results in election and nomination of candidates that are nationalistic and with ideologies that are acceptable by most of the citizens. Because of
the high level of attention accorded to the campaigns and the exposure of citizens to different forms of

American history from 1815 to 1840 Essay
Throughout American history, politics changed with the times, forming and growing as new situations and environments took place. However, the
most drastic differences occurred between 1815 and 1840. During this time, the North and South develop different economic systems, which created
political differences between the regions. Between 1815 and 1840, the number of eligible voters drastically increased as politicians utilized a wider
variety of campaigning methods in order to appeal to as many voters as possible, all essentially caused by economic growth. Politics grow to include
universal white male suffrage, a strong national government, and nationalism versus sectionalism. Economic Growth (American System, Industrial
Revolution, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Political figures began appealing for popular support, using tactics like public rallies, picnics, slanderous charges, and newspapers to capture attention.
Document I is a campaign almanac that promotes the 1840 candidacy of Harrison and Tyler. During this time period, it was common for political
candidates to use almanacs, tracts, buttons, effigies, and rallies to publicize and romanticize their records. Political parties themselves began to change
as people like Martin Van Burentried to go back to old political parties (Document C). He thought that the best political combination would unite
southern planters and "plain Republicans of the North." вЂЁVan Buren was part of a group of shrewd politicians called the Albany Regency––With the
help of their newspaper, the Albany Argus, they controlled party nominating conventions and political patronage (spoils system) while in office. The
Albany Argus is a great example of how newspapers came to be a big part of politics. Seen in Doc G, the number of different newspapers in the
United States increased to 1,200, with the number more than tripling between 1810 and 1835. Newspapers were widely distributed, and–after
innovations made newspapers affordable–were widely used as a campaign tactic.
There were many causes of the incredible political changes during 1815–1840's, but the main cause was economic growth. The War of 1812 caused
men like Henry Clay and John Calhoun to find

third parties Essay
Despite being the constant underdog and loser in major elections third parties make some significant contribution to the political spectrum in the United
States. Third Party Agendas are taken serious by the Democratic and Republican Parties and specific pieces of the Third Party Agendas are sometimes
adopted by the two major parties. Third parties give discontented voters other alternatives. The Republican and Democratic Parties have been known to
operate in similar styles and third parties give the voter the opportunity to express their discontent. The third parties in the United States are policy
advocates and often are more specific about were they stand ideologically. Often the Republican and Democratic Parties try and take a moderate ...
The most successful party that resulted from a party split was the Progressive or ?Bull Moose? party led by former Republican President Theodore
Roosevelt. The split in the party caused a three–way horse race for the White House in the Election of 1912 . Involving Progressive Roosevelt,
Republican William Taft, and Democrat Woodrow Wilson. The split doomed the Republican Party and made Wilson the victor. Lastly, ideological
parties have existed for many years in the Third Party System. Parties like the Communist Party, Socialist Party, Constitution Party, Libertarian Party,
etc. These parties seek to change the system as a whole. Most of the ideological parties mentioned have been on the ballot for many years, but they are
ineffective in the actual race. These are the four types of Third Parties that have existed in the political realm of the United States.
In the political system of the United States many barriers and obstacles exist for Third Parties. In the current style of United States politics the
Media plays a crucial role in the system, and also posses numerous obstacles for Third Parties. The media often tends to focus on the ?Two Party
Horse Race? and neglects the third parties involved in the race. A Third Party Presidential Candidate can not enter into a televised debate unless he
has atleast fifteen percent of the popular vote in five major polls. Then there is the process of getting on the ballot in

Voting Research Paper
Voting is privilege given to Americans. Many people don't know how lucky they are to have the privilege to give their opinion on who leads our
country. It took many years for the U.S to get voting rights equalized for all citizens; so everyone should take advantage of this. Participating in voting
should be happening by every eligible person in the U.S. A person's characteristics will effect whether or not they are going to participate invoting. It
can either positively affect the person or negatively. Also registering and knowing where and how to register and where too actually vote can effect
whether or not a person will participate in voting. A major aspect effecting voting is a person's family history; if growing up in a family where... Show
Some high schools automatically register you when they know you are turning eighteen they will send in the form for you. You can also register at
motor vehicles by filling out a form. (Galvin 1) When voting you must bring a form of identification. Acceptable identification can be; your voter's
registration certificate along with a drivers license and or a photo I.D that you can get from motor vehicles. In order to be able to vote you must be
registered twenty days prior to Election Day. (Galvin 1) Registering to vote is very simple, does not take up time and is worth it. In order to find out
first hand if young people are participating in voting or not and if certain characteristics truly do effect this I conducted a 100 person survey.
Surveying people is the best method to find out about voting their take on voting because it's a non judgmental way to hopefully get the truth. Also
I got to pick mainly who I wanted to get surveyed; for this study I only surveyed people under the age of 30 because I was more interested on how
younger people are or aren't participating in voting. This was an easy task because my first thirty surveys got handed out throughout class, than the
other seventy I distributed out at work where I in counter young people all throughout the day so it was still a random survey. In my survey I asked
the person's gender and age, whether they were registered to vote or not

Britain Faced A Major Social And Political Crisis In The...
Britain Faced A Major Social And Political Crisis In The Years 1910
–1914
There were many reasons why Britain was facing a major Social and Political crisis in the years of 1910–1914, I have narrowed down the reasons to
three major issues; The Suffrage movement, Industrial Unrest, Constitutional Crisis. I will be looking at these issues in more depth as to whether they
can explain the Crisis.
The first issue I will be looking at will be the Suffrage Movement. At the begging of the twentieth Century no woman could vote in elections for
parliament. In 1911 only 60% of adult males could vote in elections. But by this time many women were beginning to demand their equal say in the
running of the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The NUWSS was not only women, there were men as part of the organisation too, those who felt that women should too have a say in running the
country. The NUWSS was commonly known as the suffragists. In 1903 Emmeline Pankhurst, the daughter of a wealthy cotton manufacturer, set up the
Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU). The members were known more commonly as the suffragettes, their slogan 'deeds not words', they
believed in more direct action, their more militant purpose was to gain people's attention. The Suffragettes became notorious for the actions that their
members took to become noticed. In 1905 Christable Pankhurst, Emmeline's daughter shouted out 'Votes for Women' during a speech by a
government minister, she was arrested and imprisoned, this was a great deal in this era. 1908 two suffragettes chained themselves to the railing
outside 10 Downing Street in London. But by far the most remembered Act for the suffragettes was in 1913 Emily Davidson at Epsom racecourse,
where the Derby is held each year, where she flung herself in front of the king's horse in order to stop the race waving the purple–white–green
suffragette colours, but ended up by killing herself.
As you can see the suffrage movement made a large impact on the Liberals.
The

The Effect Of Third Party Candidates In Presidental...
The Effect of Third Party Candidates in Presidental Elections
Although citizens of the United States have the opportunity to vote for many different offices at the national, state, and local levels, the election of the
president of the United States every four years is the focal point of the
American political process. The American political system has maintained a two– party system since its inception. Political scientists argue that a
two–party system is the most stable and efficient means of running a democratic nation as a mono–party system leads toward tyranny, and a
multi–party system creates over– diversification and gridlock (Mazmanian 6). The Constitution of the United
States does not in any way limit the structure of the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The growth of computerized "direct–mail fundraising techniques" and "computerized e–mail" have encroached on activities
traditionally performed by the political party (Robinson 150). Also, recent reforms in the areas of campaign financing and delegate selection to the
nominating conventions have made the party less significant with respect to fund–raising and candidate selection (Robinson 151). The decreasing role
of the political party in the presidential campaign and the increasing ability of the candidates themselves to provide their own publicity has brought
about the beginning of a new political era in which the dominance of the major parties is questionable, and the potential for a non–affiliated candidate
to mount a competitive campaign is very realistic.
In theory, it is possible for a completely independent candidate to be elected to the presidency, provided the candidate is highly competent, charismatic,
eloquent, and photogenic, and the candidate is running against relatively weak candidates of the major parties (Mazmanian 21). However, at this time,
political analysts stipulate that the chances of this happening are slim because a majority of Americans are xenophobic enough to be wary of the
unknown candidate.
An independent candidate can, however, have a dramatic impact on the outcome of the election without actually winning. Simply by running, a strong

Essay on Women's Right to Vote
Women's suffrage refers to the right of women to participate in democratic processes through voting on the same basis as men. In the medieval and
early modern periods in Europe, the right to vote was typically severely limited for all people by factors such as age, ownership of property, and
gender. The development of the modern democratic state has been characterized internationally by the erosion of these various limitations following
periods of collective struggle. Women's suffrage has been achieved as part of this process of modernization at different times in different national
contexts, although very few nations granted women the right to vote in elections before the twentieth century (Freedman, pp. 63).
The first convention held ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Following the failure of his attempt to amend the 1867 Reform Act to allow women's suffrage, a number of regional women's suffrage societies were
established, culminating in the creation of the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies in 1897 (Freedman, pp. 89). In 1903, Emmeline
Pankhurst and others broke away from the National Union and established the Women's Social and Political Union, the "suffragettes," who deployed
much more confrontational forms of political campaigning, including demonstrations, hunger strikes, and vandalism of property.
In 1918, after World War I, women over 30 were granted the vote in national elections, and in the Representation of the People Act of 1928, women in
the United Kingdom were finally granted the vote on the same terms as men. New Zealand has some claim to be the first nation to allow women the
right to vote on an equal basis to men; having done so in 1893, it was ahead of all presently existing independent countries. Australia followed closely
behind, establishing women's suffrage in 1902, while Finland granted women the right to vote in 1905 (McElroy, pp. 163). Throughout the twentieth
century, women across the globe gradually gained access to the right to vote. The length and intensity of campaigns to secure women's right to vote
across this period indicates something of the strength of resistance to women's suffrage. The reasons for this are

Benefits Of Lowering Voting Age
Lowering Voting Age Although, some believe the age of 18 should be the minimum voting age, I would have to argue that the voting age should be
lowered. I beleive the percentage of participation would increase during electons, if voting age is lowered. Our younger generation generates valuable
opinions about presidental elections and should be alowed to vote at the age of 16. The United States would greatly benefit from lowering the voting
age. Lowering the voting age would definitely increase the participation turnout in presidential electons. The age population between 16 and 18 are still
enrolled in school, and have an active understanding of the presidental election from teachers, peers, and homework assignments.

The Marginalization of Minority Groups in The Electoral...
The marginalization of minority groups in the electoral system impedes a comprehensive representation by further entrenching and aggravating ethnic
division. The lack of minority representation in political–decision making has limited the ability of a true representative democracy to come into
fruition. The inconsistency of elected assemblies mirroring the population has decreased the representation of ethnic minorities and deepened the racial
and ethnic cleavages. Reforming the electoral system to accommodate proportional representation will not only enhance interethnic relations, but also
ensure that racial, ethnic, and social diversity is reflected in national leadership. This paper will aim to create to create a strong electoral system ... Show
Having a strong, efficient electoral system is essential for instituting a framework of governance that guarantees the protection of a citizen's
constitutional liberties and, their "right to have a voice in how they are governed." Due to the complexity of creating and electoral system, many factors
must be taken into consideration to administer an effective and sustainable system of government, such as the historical and social circumstances of
that society. This society is not in need of rapid decision making legislature or a unified, decisive executive leadership, but a proportional representation
that reflects minority interests. In a society with minority cleavages that entrench social divisions, a proportional representation under a parliamentary
system is indispensable. From this, national leadership will not only mirror ethnic and social diversity, but also further the continuation of democracy.
In this regime, the only democratic institution is the parliament, where the government's authority is contingent upon parliamentary confidence. While
some political scientists ascertain that a parliamentary system fails to create a strong, stable executive, it will generate consensus and coalition building
that is vital to enhancing the voice of minorities in the legislature. Arend Lijphart validates this by arguing that proportional representation, unlike a

Low Voter Turnout is NOT a Significant Problem in the...
Low Voter Turnout is NOT a Significant Problem in the United States
The different strategies in political campaigning have led to lower voter turnout and less political participation by the general public according to
Steven Schier in his book, "Payment Due: A Nation In Debt, A Generation In Trouble." Different public and privateinterest groups can link these
downturns to the changing political strategies and the lobbying of the government. Political participation and lower voter turnout is something that we
should not be concerned about and doesn't pose a significant problem in the United States.
The low level of political engagement that Schier says is going to be approximately 50% of the citizenry can be explained ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
The voters aren't important because they are basically voting for the same kind of leader. Schier gives reasons for why the public is no longer
interested in politics. One reason is the changing campaign strategies. Schier claims "Mobilization encouraged popular rule. Activation impedes it.
Sadly, the rise of activation destroyed the prospects for majority rule in American politics (Schier, 9)." Negative advertising and targeting certain
groups has not ruined politics for the vast majority of people. Even if specific groups are targeted to either come out and vote or to stay home, these
groups are constantly changing. Young voters will eventually become senior citizen voters. Minority groups are growing faster than ever before and
eventually the minority groups will come up to and even surpass the established majority. Activation is a short–term strategy that has worked to the
present but may fall as the groups that are targeted begin to intermingle and become one large group of American voters that must be swayed by
methods of Mobilization toward one opinion and away from another. Political engagement may falter but eventually because of the shift in focus
groups the engagement will climb back.
Parties are an important part of the political process; however, they do not have the same influence that they once enjoyed. One reason for this is the
candidate–centered election that has come, in part, from the

The 2008 Presidental Election: Change vs. Experience Essay
November 4, 2008 marked a monumental moment in United States history. American presidential elections were revolutionized because of the 2008
presidential election between democratic candidate Barack Obama and republican candidate John McCain. After eight years, President George W.
Bush., Americans were waiting for, what would be the key word of this election – change. The U.S. had the opportunity to witness history with either
the first African–American president or first female vice president. It was a full year of pricey campaigning, nationally broadcasted debates, and party
strategies, media controversies involving candidates and their families. It also was a year where America realized how the Internet can affect an
election. In June... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
CNN reported on Election Day that the economy was the most important issue to voters. The Democratic platform for the economy was to provide
quick relief for the economy with a fifty billion dollar jumpstart. The Democrats also want to cut taxes for the middle class and end tax breaks for
companies outsourcing jobs. Obama blamed deregulation for the financial crisis. The Republican platform for the economy consisted of making the
2001 and 2003 tax cuts permanent , increasing the international trade and building nuclear plants both of which will create new jobs (Woolley
2008). Other main issues were health care, energy and illegal immigrants. Obama stated numerous times during on the campaign trial that all
Americans should have health care coverage they can afford. While McCain focused more on health insurance by compelling them to make prices
within American's means and make them feel protected with everyone receiving the same tax benefits. On energy, both candidates opposed drilling
in the Alaska refuge but that is where the similarities end. McCain supporters during his rallies would chant, "drill, baby, drill" which gave much
insight on his views on energy (Balz, 2009, 206). He supported the expansion of offshore drilling and the increased use of renewable sources such as
solar, hydroelectric and wind. In principle, Obama said he didn't oppose expansion of nuclear power but said it had to be done carefully and
cost–effectively. The Republican platform had no

The Electoral College Versus a Direct Election System
The Electoral College Versus a Direct Election System
"The Electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for President and Vice–President...they shall name in their ballots the person
voted for as President and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice–President" (Findlaw.com). The Twelfth Amendment set forth the rules and
regulations for which the Office of President shall be determined. The founding fathers, in the second constitutional convention, laid the grounds on
which setup what would be the Electoral College.
Adoption of the Electoral College plan came late in the Convention, which had previously adopted on four occasions provisions for election of the
executive by the Congress and had twice ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The larger states would no longer control the population lead as their fellow states.
Registration and supervision of a national election would be expensive and very time–consuming. In the 1800s, ballot machines were not available to
determine the votes on a wide–scale usage. So, ballots had to be hand–counted. And where an election would rest in counting every ballot, it would
very time–consuming. And who would be in place to count these votes? Enslaved blacks would almost certainly favor the candidate who promoted
freedom. The issue of bribery of vote–counters was brought up in the convention, and any talk of a corrupt government was quickly hushed.
With an Electoral College in place and guaranteed by our Twelfth Amendment, why should we replace a system that up until now, caused no
problems? Why do critics continue to bombard the Electoral College with complaints of it being obsolete? Why do the majority of the population see
it as an "unnecessary barrier to true democracy" (Kuroda)?
On September 4th, 1787, an appointed committee proposed a new method for electing the president, which took account of the many points made
earlier in the five month session. It created the Electoral College and assigned the states a number of electors equal to their House and Senator
representation they had in Congress. Presidents were to serve 4–year terms and to be eligible for re–election. Because a 200–year–old system still exists
today, opponents of the

The Unfairness Of The Electoral College
The president is elected by a group of people called electors and each state has a number of electors equal to their congressional delegation. During the
presidential election, a smaller group of representatives, at state level, give the final decision of the presidential election. Throughout numerous elections
, only four occurrences where the candidate could not be agreed upon. In 1800, Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr received the same amount of
electoral votes, resulting in the House of Representatives breaking the tie. In 1876's presidental election, the popular vote went to Democrat Samuel
Tilden, however a commission voted for Republican Rutherford B. Hayes as the winner. In 1888 the popular vote candidate, Grover cleveland, did not
win the election but rather Benjamin Harrison due to the electoral votes. Just recently in 2000, George W. Bush won the majority of electoral votes,
even though AL Gore won the popular vote.... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The New York Times published their opinion in "It Pays to Win the Small States" stating, Those people who defend theElectoral College should
confront the truth about the unfairness, which they are defending. The "unfairness" state translates to the possibility of the least favorite candidate
being chosen; such as the 2000 election which was the closest election in history, causing a heated debate between democrats and republicans.
Additionally, creating a possibility of a tie, as numerous elections have a relatively high chance of a tie vote or

The Hazards of E-voting Essay
The Hazards of E–voting
A democracy can only be effective when it runs efficiently, when the will of the people is transmitted through the corridors of power. It can only hit its
zenith if the most important function of democracy, voting, is carried out flawlessly. Although flawlessness has never been achieved, men have
certainly tried to keep the voting system as efficient as possible, with the least possible amounts of votes being lost or mis–counted. Human error is of
course, uncontrollable. This error combined with the partiality of all humans, prompted the development of machines that would register, store and
count the ballots which were cast. Electronic voting, or e–voting, soon found advocates and lots of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Computer scientists from coast to coast have warned that the machines sometimes err in counting votes and could be easily compromised by hackers
intent on disrupting elections. In either case, they say, a manual recount would be meaningless if it was based on corrupted electronic data.5 A paper
trail would be used to recount the votes if it were suspected that the machine was not giving an accurate count of the votes. "Most machines cannot print
a so–called voter–verified paper trail, so when a politician demands a recount, most DREs will simply spit out the same set of disputed numbers again
and again."6 Not only does this make it impossible to have effective recounts that could help in the event of a serious computing error, it also puts vote
tampering into the spotlight. If a paper trail is non–existent then it would be much harder to detect if the votes have been tampered with. This brings
into question the veracity of the programmers, is everything that they mention about the programs capabilities true? What bugs exists and have they
been corrected?
Matt Zimmermann, an EFF attorney who is dealing with e–voting said,
"What we want to know is, what are these machines actually doing? How are these things programmed? Are there errors in the programming?"7 When
casting

Political Parties in the United States Essay
Political Parties in the United States
When the founders of the American republic wrote the U.S. Constitution in 1787, they did not envision a role for political parties in the governmental
order. Indeed, they sought through various constitutional arrangements such as separation of powers, checks and balances, and indirect election of the
president by an electoral college to insulate the new republic from political parties and factions.
In spite of the founders' intentions, the United States was the first nation to develop parties organized on a national basis and to transfer executive
power from one faction to another via an election in 1800.
THE EMERGENCE AND PERVASIVENESS OF POLITICAL PARTIES
The development of political ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Every president since 1856 has been either a Republican or a Democrat, and in the post–World War II era the major parties' share of the popular vote
for president has averaged 95 percent.
After the 1998 elections, there was one lone representative in Congress who was elected as an independent, while only 20 (.003 percent) of the more
than 7,300 state legislators elected were neither Republicans nor Democrats. It is the two major parties that organize the government at both the
national and state levels.
Although American parties tend to be less ideologically cohesive and programmatic than parties in many democracies, they do play a major role in
shaping public policy. Indeed, since the 1994 elections, both congressional Republicans and Democrats have demonstrated sharp policy differences and
an unusually high level of intraparty unity. This has created a super–heated atmosphere of partisan conflict, especially in the House of Representatives.
In an era of divided party control of the government, partisan conflict has been unremitting between Democratic President Bill Clinton and the
Republican–controlled Congress. Partisan divisiveness was especially intense during the congressional impeachment proceedings against President
Clinton during 1998 and 1999. The intensified partisanship within the Congress and between the legislative and executive branches reflects the extent
to which the

The Flawed Electoral College Voting Process Essay
The Flawed Electoral College Voting Process
When Americans vote their choice for President, one would assume that these votes would be tabulated and the majority vote would win. But this is
not the case at all. The Presidency is ultimately decided by the Electoral College, what William McClenaghan calls "one of the least understood parts of
the American political process"(340). McClenaghan also defines the Electoral College as "the body that makes the formal selection of the nation's
President, from what the Framers intended into a `rubber stamp' for the popular vote in presidential elections"(67). The original Electoral College did
not succeed for very long, however; it only worked for as long as George Washington was President... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The other factor is how electoral votes are distributed. "...each State has two electors because of its Senate seats, regardless of its population. Because
of them, the distribution of electoral votes does not match the facts of population and voter distribution"(343). "The current system unfairly favors
states with smaller populations ...by allocating electoral votes according to a state's representation in Congress"(Early History of the Electoral College,
l). "The disproportionate electoral strength of the less–populous states enables a candidate, to win the presidency without winning the popular
vote"(Critics Claim Democracy Tarnished, 1). The smaller states have more electoral votes per person than larger states; therefore more votes in
larger states don't count. Neil Pierce, author of The Electoral College Primer 2000 says, "Every other office in the United States is elected on the
basis of the person who gets the most votes, ...But the electoral college, for reasons no one can ever explain to you logically, values some votes over
other votes". The popular vote winner has lost in election races in 1824,1876, 1888, and 2000. In 1824, Andrew Jackson lost to John Quincy Adams.
In the election, Jackson received more electoral votes than any other candidate but did not receive the majority. The election was taken to the House of
Representatives and Adams was elected (343). In 1876, Democrat Samuel J. Tilden received more popular votes than Rutherford B.

Examining the Ways a Pressure Group Contributes to...
Examining the Ways a Pressure Group Contributes to Representative Democracy
In a representative democracy, citizens elect representatives to make decisions for them. In doing this, citizens hand over the responsibility for
making decisions to someone else. In Britian voters elect members of parliament's (MPs) to represent them every four to five years and this makes the
representatives in some way accountable to the electorate. However many are unsatisfied with their representation and join pressure groups to make
their views heard. The question is, is this good or bad for our democracy?
Pluralism is the way in which the electorate joins groups to have an effect on government. Many ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Many people thing the system of having pressure groups complements a representative democracy because surely the right to join groups is a mark of
a free society. Many people think minority voices are generally unheeded; pressure groups mean that these minorities can be heard more effectively an
example of this is the pressure group Gay lib.
Another positive thing about pressure groups of that they encourage political participation. In a country where the number of people who vote is
going down, pressure groups allow people to become more politically aware especially those under the age of eighteen. This means more people will
use their votes – something which is surely good for representative democracy.
However some people argue that pressure groups are not good for democracy. They say that the government has its own agenda and won't act as a
referee for all the pressure groups. they say that although pressure groups may be considered they likely to be ignored if they do not conform with the
government. Pro–pluralists come back and this argument by saying that the amount of forces acting on each other from different pressure groups will
mean that everyone has an input and public policy is a happy medium. They point out that for every group there is an apposing pressure group for
instance campaign for state education versus

Counting the minority vote Essay
Counting the Minority Voter
This election year the presidential candidates are courting the minority voters like never before in history. States like Arizona, Florida, New Mexico
and Ohio are considered swing states or battleground states. In many states voter registration drives have significantly increased the number of minority
registered voters, particularly Hispanics, African Americans, and Asians. The candidates are well aware of this and are campaigning issues relevant to
minority voters because they are prominent players in the political arena in the upcoming presidential election (Kamman).
According to the "Current Population Reports," a report put out by the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Hispanics are conservative in nature but pick their political affiliation on issues of bread and butter. Social and political issues such as abortion, gay
marriages and such are not a primary interest of the Latino voters. The media makes a big buzz about swaying the Latino voter but the reality of the
matter is that realistically that is unlikely to happen(Sailer, Hispanic Republicans).
The U.S. Census Bureau's report put out in 2002 states that there are 24.5 million African Americans in the United States. Of these 22.9 million
are U.S. citizens and only 14 million are registered voters. Of those 14 million who are registered to vote only 9.6 million voted. In percentages it
breaks down as the following: 62.4% of African American U.S citizens are registered voters, 67.8 of those registered to vote voted, but overall
only 42.3% of African American U.S. citizens voted. African Americans in the 2000 election the Republicans garnished a whopping 10% of the
African American vote. In the Texas the percentage was even lower, 5%. The efforts put forth by the GOP to court the Black voters has been less
than impressive. In reality the GOP know it looks bad to have a President who could only get 5% of the Black Texan vote (his home state). It is also a
reality that it doesn't really matter if the percent doubled or tripled because the ratio between Black voters and White voters

Democracy Requires Participation Essay
An intrinsic element in the success of a democratic society is the willingness of the people to be self–governing. In modern America, to say that we
have a government that is for, by, and of the people does not mean that each citizen is autocratic and simply 'takes the law into his or her own hands,'
but rather that each citizen has the responsibility to actively participate in this large–scale experiment known as American Democracy. Therefore, the
problem of declining voter participation is a serious one indeed.
Several reasons for this enigmatic conundrum of voter apathy have become apparent in recent years. In many presidential elections, numerous
Americans have found themselves compromising their views and voting not for the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The Electoral College is an institution of the Federal Government that has outlived its usefulness and should be abolished in order to promote
democracy in the United States. At its conception, the Electoral College was considered necessary because it emphasized the rights of individual states
and made the process of counting ballots less onerous. In a true federal system, the electorate should vote in national elections as citizens of the nation,
as opposed to citizens of their respective states.
However, the winner–take–all system of the Electoral College that we currently use is not only non–federal, it is undemocratic as well. Since the
popular vote is counted in each state individually, and the winner of each state receives all of that state's votes, it is theoretically possible for a
candidate with a greater percentage of the popular vote to lose the election. The Electoral College effectively renders the votes of the state minority
meaningless because the majority receives all of the Electoral College votes, as if the vote was unanimous in favor of one candidate. This is clearly
not democratic. If the Electoral College were to be abolished, then all national elections could be based upon the popular vote of the national electorate;
a true representation of the views of the nation.
Our current system of voter registration

Modern Election Arguments Against The Electoral College

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