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Governor Tim Walz Advocates for Abolishing the Electoral College
During a fundraising event in California on Tuesday, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz expressed his support for abolishing the Electoral College, a stance that has gained traction among some Democrats following electoral setbacks.
While at California Governor Gavin Newsom’s residence in Sacramento, Walz commented on the presidential election process, stating, “It is clear to all of us that the Electoral College should be eliminated. We need to adopt a national popular vote system, although we are not currently operating within that framework.”
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The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact
This year, Governor Walz signed onto the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact—a collaborative agreement where states pledge to allocate their electoral votes based on the national popular vote winner for president, irrespective of individual state outcomes. This compact will only take effect once enough states representing at least 270 electoral votes commit to it.
The Structure of the Electoral College
The Electoral College consists of electors from each state who cast votes for both president and vice president. In 48 states and Washington D.C., all electoral votes go to whichever candidate receives the majority of votes in that state; however, Maine and Nebraska utilize a proportional allocation method.
A candidate must secure 270 electoral votes to win the presidency.
Historical Context and Current Debate
The Founding Fathers established this system with an aim to prevent larger states from overpowering smaller ones during presidential elections. To eliminate this structure would necessitate significant constitutional amendments.
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Diverse Opinions Among Political Parties
In recent years, several Democrats have pushed for replacing this system with a direct popular vote. Notable instances include former President Trump’s victory over Hillary Clinton in 2016 when she won more popular votes but lost in terms of electoral counts.
A similar situation occurred in 2000 when George W. Bush won despite losing the popular vote by a narrow margin—an outcome many Republicans argue justifies maintaining the current system due to concerns about larger populations exerting excessive influence over elections.
Candidates’ Focus During Campaigns
Critics also contend that eliminating the Electoral College could lead candidates to concentrate their efforts solely on populous regions while neglecting less populated areas during campaigns.
Pew Research Findings on Public Opinion
Former President Trump has previously criticized this voting mechanism as detrimental to democracy and suggested that winning through a popular vote would be simpler during his campaign seasons in both 2012 and again in 2018.
A recent survey conducted by Pew Research Center indicates that approximately 63% of Americans support abolishing the Electoral College altogether—reflecting growing public sentiment towards reforming how presidents are elected today.
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