‘An eighteenth-century process is still used for the election of a twenty-first-century president.’ Critically evaluate this view of the US’ Electoral College (30 marks).

The use of ‘critically evaluate’ shows that students must address and analyse arguments both for and against the use of the Electoral College (EC). However, to achieve the top marks students must convincingly argue for one side, rather than sitting on the fence. To begin with, a student must identify what the EC is and how it works, noting that it is an indirect voting system where electorates vote on behalf of their states, whilst taking the popular vote into account. It was initially designed as an elitist check and balance because the Founding Fathers did not believe the general public would be well informed enough to choose a suitable candidate. After doing so, finish your introduction by outlining your line of argument (LOA) and how you will proceed to evidence it. For me, the most convincing is that the EC is archaic and undemocratic. When only considering two sides, it is easier to start with the side of the argument that you agree with. Then you will have an established foundation on which you can build you LOA, meaning it is clearer when you undermine counter-arguments later in the essay and that your LOA is maintained. Thus, a student should address how the EC is undemocratic bc it distorts the popular vote through the winner takes all system, it rewards concentrated support and electors hold the power to disenfranchise millions. The EC is also unfair to states as it gives disproportioned importance to swing states whilst overrepresenting smaller states and underrepresenting larger states. On the other hand, benefits of the EC include that it promotes a two-horse race to ensure a clear mandate and majority (therefore legitimacy) for the making of a stable government. Nevertheless, when possible, undermine counter-arguments to reinforce your own LOA. For example, the prevention of the rise of extremism is a useful side effect of the EC’s rewarding of concentrated support and the suppression of third-party candidates, but the EC is not the only system to do this, a feature also seen in the UK’s First Past the Post system. After articulating counter-arguments, explore potential reforms to the EC to make it a fairer system. A great example for your argument is the proposed proportional system already in place in Nebraska and Maine. This fairer system actually is less proportionate than the current, showing that reform will not solve the problem that is the EC. Finally conclude your essay by drawing together your argument, making it clear how you came to this conclusion and suggest your own opinion of what should replace the EC or what reform are necessary. For example, ‘The Electoral College remains to be an archaic reminder of what American politics used to be: unfair and elitist. It claims to provide a stable government with a large mandate, but instead unnecessarily gives enormous power to the few over the many.’