Hoover InstitutionStanford University
The Surprising Reason To Keep The Electoral College

Published on April 15, 2020

Many people believe we should abolish the Electoral College, but it serves important purposes. The Electoral College system requires candidates to broaden their national appeal and discourages extreme policy positions. Abolishing the Electoral College would worsen political polarization and partisanship.

 Discussion Questions:

  1. How does the Electoral College protect minority rights better than a majority vote?
  2. How might the ability to hold recounts at a national level make elections more difficult?

Additional resources:

  • Read “Electoral College,” by John Cochrane via the Grumpy Economist. Available here. 
  • Read “Why the Electoral College Is a Great Idea,” by John Cochrane via the Grumpy Economist. Available here. 
  • Read “Beware of Faithless Electors” by Richard Epstein. Available here.

Cast

John H. Cochrane

John H. Cochrane

Related

Podcasts

Can America Still Govern Itself? With Lanhee Chen

Hoover Institution fellow Lanhee Chen on why good policy so often fails politically.

October 20, 2026

Videos

Monetary Policy And The Shadow Open Market Committee Since The 1970s

Mickey Levy on his early career working with Alice Rivlin at the Congressional Budget Office and with Arthur Burns at AEI, as well as being part of the Shadow Open Markets Committee from its early days in the 1970s.

October 16, 2026

Videos

Lives Wasted And Well-Lived: An Analysis Of Tolstoy’s The Death Of Ivan Ilyich

How to live a life you won’t regret when it’s time to die.

October 19, 2026