Honors Thesis Archive

Author	Saylor Frye
Title	The Unrepresentative Nature of the Electoral College
Department	Political Science
Advisor	Rob Baker
Year	2021
Honors	University Honors
Full Text	View Thesis (1223 KB)
Abstract	This paper addresses what happened at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 and analyzes how the Electoral College came to be. Understanding the compromises made during that summer in Philadelphia is paramount to comprehending how certain features were written into the electoral process or became the de facto way to do things. I maintain that the Founders themselves were not sure how to handle the issue of presidential selection and through their concessions and fears, the Electoral College was developed. This system is simply outdated and has outgrown what the Framers envisioned. This paper examines the major challenges and countermajorian features plaguing the electoral system. I first explain how the Three-Fifths Compromise came to be and what led to its application in electing the executive from its original context of legislative representation. From there I dissect how the interests of small states were protected through the Connecticut Compromise, and how this contributed to the “House Size Effect.” I argue that the winner-take-all method is the most undemocratic feature in the Electoral College and ignores the voices of the minority. From the myriad of problems permeating the electoral system, I advocate for direct election of the president.