The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author, and do not reflect in any way those of the Tiger Media Network, its staff or Fort Hays State University
By: Jerry Spriggs
The 2016 presidential election is behind us and many are surprised – some disappointed and others jubilant. Criticism of the Electoral College by both sides has become the bold new national sentiment. Surely it’s antiquated. Surely it must go. Surely we can do better.
And we can!
The Founding Fathers were not so terribly amiss as many may think. Sure we’re a larger expanse of nation, geography-wise, and we’re more populated than the late 1800’s. But the Electoral College still mechanism works. So why did one presidential candidate (Hillary) win a majority of popular votes and the other candidate (Trump) seem to steal the election?
The culprit is not the Electoral College itself. Rather, our stumbling arises out of the All-or-Nothing approach we take when we tally the popular votes and convert them into Electoral Votes suitable for the Electoral College result. The Electoral College does not need to be replaced.
Equal Voice Voting offers the best of solutions without requiring a Constitutional amendment. It’s a simple formula that converts a state’s popular votes into proportional electoral votes that hew closely to the popular vote, does not disenfranchise voters, gives each state its independent voice, honors the Founding Fathers’ intent and acknowledges the this nation’s diverse cultures, peoples, values, and priorities.
It’s time to initiate legislation on a state-by-state basis so our vote-capturing system elicits a confidence that translates into a continued pride of country. The exercise of our Electoral College can be a source of such confidence if we simply modify how we count everyone’s vote. Contact your legislators and ask that they give Equal Voice Voting their strong consideration!
To learn more about Equal Voice Voting, click on the link, www.equalvoicevoting.com