Hoover InstitutionStanford University
By Constitutional Design: The Electoral College

Published July 21, 2021

Is the Electoral College antidemocratic? The Founders rejected the direct election of the president in order to balance individual liberty against majority rule. In addition, the Electoral College encourages candidates to widen their campaigns and reach out to voters across the nation, leading to less partisanship.

Discussion Questions

  1. Should the Electoral College be abolished?
  2. Why does the Electoral College matter?

Additional Resources

  • Read “A Defense of the Electoral College in the Time of Trump,” by John Yoo. Available here.
  • Listen as John Yoo discusses the constitutionality of changing the Electoral College. Available here.
  • Read “Progressives Are Wrong to Oppose the Electoral College,” by John Yoo. Available here.

Cast

John Yoo

John Yoo

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