Monday, October 27, 2008

The Electoral College -- Pass or Fail?

Michael White, Archivist of the United States, explains his role in "administering the Electoral College process on behalf of the states and the Congress," as well as the history of the electoral college in this article from Prologue Magazine.

You know how it's a common joke that our electoral system is complicated and confusing? Remember the 2000 election? Here are some quotes from the above article, designed to further strike fear into the heart of the voter:

"... the incoming officials may not be well prepared to grapple with the stylized procedural language of the 19th century and some of the more arcane aspects of federalism."

"Too often, Federal Register attorneys would later have to track down bewildered bureaucrats who were surprised to learn that they had been given this task."

"There are more than a few things that can go wrong."

"It was not unusual for as many as half of the electoral votes intended for the Senate to be misdirected, which raised the stakes for the Federal Register to obtain the reserve set of votes for the Congress to act upon. "

The National Archives has created a guide to the U.S. Electoral College, which is designed to educate both the public and election officials on proper procedures. Keep your fingers crossed.

1 comment:

HomelessRobles said...

The electoral college is an archaic system that no longer accurately represents the votes of its constituents. 2000 was not the first time that a pres. was elected when not winning the popular vote, but 2000 did mark the first time it happened in the new age of mass media. People know more, and have access to more information now than ever before. I'd think that the people can vote directly for president-- that they're educated enough to do so (mostly)-- and not have to have an elector cast a vote for thousands.

The electoral college effectively disenfranchises a large segment of the populace. It fails. Epically.