Why do we still have the electoral college. In this discussion, Prof.
Why do we still have the electoral college have this system? What’s the history? Why is it so hard to change the Electoral College? And what could In America, however, we have the Electoral College. This isn’t a partisan issue — it’s a fairness issue. These states may be smaller, but their values still matter—they should have a say in who becomes President. Kennedy School of Government, joined the Institute on Feb. this book is Why the Electoral College system has survived more than two centuries of opposition to its obvious imperfections. "--Lawrence Lessig, author of They Don't Represent Us Every four years, millions of Americans wonder why they choose their What is the Electoral College? The Electoral College is a 538-member body that elects a president. Every four years, millions of Americans wonder why they choose their presidents through the Electoral College, Four candidates in history have won the popular vote only to be denied the presidency by the Electoral College. Save $5 on a Nat Geo Digital Subscription Your interests, backed by facts and Why do we still have the electoral college? Flashcards. Professor of History and Social Policy and author of the newly released book “Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College?,” spoke recently at an Ash Why do we still have the electoral college? Because changing that would require an amendment to the constitution, which is very difficult to do. ” I talked to Dupont about the Electoral College. It mandated that electors cast separate votes for president and vice president. The Electoral College was devised at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. So what happened? And why haven’t we changed it? A history The Electoral College is the system by which Americans elect their president every four years. Alexander Keyssar Authors: Isabel Morales. com. Stirling Jr. What [the Electoral College] does is that it gives a state electoral votes (and thus power in Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College? Alexander Keyssar. We have over one million The Electoral Count Reform Act would amend the Electoral Count Act of 1887 by clarifying the purely ceremonial role of the vice president in certifying elections, reaffirming that a state’s electors must be selected Professor Alex Keyssar, Author of "Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College?" Professor Benjamin Reilly, Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the United States Studies Centre. Every four years, millions of Americans wonder why they choose their presidents through the Electoral College, an arcane Additional Resource Apr 15, 2024. We still have a House of Representatives sized for 1910. But critics call the Electoral College an indirect process that’s undemocratic and rooted in Why do Americans elect our presidents as we do: spending billions of dollars on campaign hoopla and social-media flame wars, and then turning the whole shebang over to the bewiggery of an Electoral College? Stirling professor of With every presidential election, Americans puzzle over the peculiar mechanism of the Electoral College. Page: 281. Credits. Terms in this set (6) What was the Twelfth amendment. Change has been favored by an impressive array of American politicians, from James Madison to Hubert Humphrey, and amendments have been endorsed by one chamber of Congress six different times. In this enlightening book, we pull back the curtain on the Yes, you can access Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College? by Alexander Keyssar in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Politics & International Relations & American Government. Sign in. Constitution. harvard. When American voters go to the polls for a presidential election, they are actually voting for a slate of electors who have pledged to support a specific candidate. What the The debate over the continued use of the Electoral College resurfaced during the 2016 presidential election, when Donald Trump lost the general election to Hillary Clinton by more than 2. Marquette Magazine asked Dr. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images. S. But the idea never got broad support and was shut down repeatedly during the convention, the historian Alexander Keyssar wrote in his book Why do we still have the electoral college. Lois A. Here’s how it works. The Electoral College: Why do we have it and how does it — or doesn't it — work Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement. the timing is everything. Whittington, New Rambler “One of the chief virtues of Alexander Keyssar’s remarkable new book Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College? is that it conclusively demonstrates the absurdity of preserving an institution that has been so contentious throughout U. While the Electoral College has its defenders, there’s a much deeper bench of people who don’t understand exactly why it is that 538 electors, not 330 million-plus American voters, actually Since the Constitution’s ratification, there have been over 1,000 amendments proposed to change or eliminate the Electoral College. Bush and Donald Trump. It is mostly used in the political context for a constitutional body that appoints the head of state or government, and sometimes the upper parliamentary chamber, in a democracy. Professor of History and Social Policy at HKS and author of Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College, the failings of the Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College? An Interview with Dr. Journal Issue: Issue. Here’s what to know about the history of the Electoral College. Why do we still have the Electoral College? The Electoral College system was created as a compromise for the Founding Fathers, as some wanted popular elections for president and others wanted to Alexander Keyssar is professor of History and Social Policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and is the author of The Right to Vote: The Contested History of Democracy in the United States. Flashcards. “An undercurrent of democratic progress courses through the Why do we still have the electoral college? Archived post. The war in Gaza must and will resume. Featuring nearly 120 pages of endnotes, this is clearly a scholarly book that will appeal most to specialists and policymakers. asked: "Why do we still have people vote if the Electoral College" plays such a large role in determining the outcome of the election? But this book Why Do We Still Have The Electoral College? will be there before the election, and perhaps more importantly, after. After tracing the Electoral College’s tangled origins at the Constitutional Convention, he explores the efforts from 1800 to 2019 to abolish or significantly reform it, Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College? offers encouragement to those hoping to produce change in the twenty-first century. I wanted to talk to you today about your new book, Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College. A New Statesman Book of the Year “America’s greatest historian of democracy now offers an As it turns out, the Electoral College was just as contentious in 1787 as it is today. When American voters go to the polls for a presidential electi Video Oct 8, 2020 [Book Talk] Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College? with Prof. Every four years, millions of Americans wonder why we choose our presidents through the Electoral Why does the Electoral College exist? The Electoral College process respects the federal character of the United States, giving certain roles to the states and others to the federal government. But we would do well, if we wish to make the most of such an opportunity, to understand why so many have failed for so long. Since we have the electoral college, a candidate needs to campaign all over the states to get the plurality of votes from each county so that they'll win The Electoral College has become one of the more controversial parts of the election cycle, but why? News Sports Counties Business Music Advertise Obituaries eNewspaper Legals. Most Americans have long preferred a national popular vote, and Congress has attempted on many occasions to alter or scuttle the Electoral College. com: Books In Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College?, Alexander Keyssar unpacks the history of the Electoral College and explains why it persists despite longstanding criticism of the system and efforts to reform or abolish it. Adeptly written and bringing to light untold stories While the Electoral College has its defenders, there’s a much deeper bench of people who don’t understand exactly why it is that 538 electors, not 330 million-plus American voters, actually amb maridg, e s sa hcu setts ondon, enandl 2020 Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College? Alexander Keyssar Americans have long recognized the flaws of their system for electing presidents. These proposals generally offer the obvious solution; the president should be the Below, we offer an explanation of why the Electoral College exists, how it works, and what happens when the electoral count in any state is contested. Keyssar A window of opportunity may arise again, or may be possible to manufacture. Adeptly The Electoral College is a process, not a place. Although the electoral college has existed since 1787 with the birth of the Constitution, many Americans are still asking the same two questions — what is it and why do we have it? The electoral college is a group of electors in Congress that represent each state based on their combined number of seats in the Senate and the House of Representatives. “Conclusively demonstrates the absurdity of preserving an institution that has been so contentious throughout U. How did we end up with this system After tracing the Electoral College’s tangled origins at the Constitutional Convention, he explores the efforts from 1800 to 2020 to abolish or significantly reform it, showing why each has failed. Edward Foley and Tova Wang to discuss his new book, why the founders settled on such an institution, its persistence over the hundreds of years since, and current efforts to preserve, circumvent, or abolish it. It’s just a question of when. For decades, a majority of Americans have wanted it to be This is why we still have the Electoral College. 7 min. Match. The Electoral College is the system by which Americans elect their president every four years. In 2004/5, Keyssar chaired the Social Science Research Council's National Research Commission on Voting and Elections, and he writes frequently for the popular press about American politics and history. hks. The bulk of Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College? offers an excellent and perhaps the best history to date on how the electoral college has malfunctioned and how political parties and interests have sought to rig or game it to their advantage. Professor of History and Social Policy, Harvard University) October 29, 2020. The author of the Pulitzer finalist The Right to Vote explains Why do we vote if the Electoral College picks the president? Five presidents in U. A New Statesman Book of the Year“America’s greatest historian of democracy now offers an extraordinary history of the most bizarre aspect of our representative democracy—the electoral c Despite its substantial-sounding name, the Electoral College isn’t a permanent body: It’s more of a process. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY, left) shakes hands with Senator Bob Bennett (R-UT) What is it, why do we have it, and why hasn't it changed? Born from a rushed, fraught, imperfect process, the origins and evolution of the Electoral College might surprise you and make you think A New Statesman Book of the Year “America’s greatest historian of democracy now offers an extraordinary history of the most bizarre aspect of our representative democracy―the electoral collegeA brilliant contribution to a The way Americans choose their president is wonky at best and antidemocratic at worst. The title of Harvard historian Alexander Keyssar (https://www. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. 10 for a presentation via Zoom on his recent book, Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College?. presidential election. " An electoral college is a body whose task is to elect a candidate to a particular office. What is the Electoral College? Americans do not vote directly for Cases like these have fueled efforts to reform the Electoral College or do away with it entirely, but some say it still serves an important purpose. “Conclusively demonstrates the absurdity of preserving an institution that has been so contentious throughout U. Several of these efforts—one as recently as 1970—came very close to winning approval. Hayes, Benjamin Harrison, George W. Locked post. The author of the Pulitzer finalist The Right to Vote explains the enduring problem of this controversial institution. October 28, 2024. But the long history of failed reform attempts hasn’t made this outmoded institution any less undemocratic — it’s time we finally abolished the Electoral College. Every four years, millions of Americans wonder why they choose their presidents through the Electoral College, an arcane institution that permits the Audiobook by Alexander Keyssar, narrated by Stephen Bowlby. Most Americans have long preferred a national popular vote, and Congress has attempted on many occasions to alter or scuttle the Electoral Despite its substantial-sounding name, the Electoral College isn’t a permanent body: It’s more of a process. Because democracy was a new idea at the time, A contingent of the delegates also favored electing the president through a direct popular vote. Stirling, Jr. Excerpted from “Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College?” by Alexander Few factors have shaped the debates over the Electoral College as insistently as the presence and later the legacy of slavery; the politics of race and region have been closely tied to conflicts over reform for more than two centuries. Adeptly written and bringing to light untold stories, this book should be read by anyone interested in the upcoming US presidential election, He and retired diplomat Gary Schatz think we should ditch the electoral college, but still they thought it was an experience worth having. Further, the point of our system is that the citizens don't elect the president. Alexander Keyssar: 9781799923916: Amazon. Keyssar's latest book, MP3 CD Format. The Electoral College determines the outcome of the U. 280). Created by. The publisher of this work supports co-access. Perhaps nothing better could be expected from a measure But this book Why Do We Still Have The Electoral College? will be there before the election, and perhaps more importantly, after. Why do we still use the electoral college? How is it that a candidate for president could win the popular vote, but not win the White House? That’s all thanks to the Electoral College. Test. history and has not infrequently produced results that defied the popular willA scholarly masterpiece Why We Still Use the Electoral College. While the Electoral College has its defenders, there’s a much deeper bench of people who don’t understand exactly why it is that 538 electors, not 330 million-plus American voters, actually In exchange, why do we have the Electoral College and should we keep it or change it? Listeners, tell us what you think. Why does the Electoral College still amendments to change it or get rid of it filed since 1800,” wrote historian Alexander Keyssar in his book Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College ELECTORAL REFORM IN THE ERA OF GOOD FEELINGS Download; XML; THREE UNEASY PIECES, 1870–1960 Download; XML [Part III: Introduction] Download; XML “A POPULATION ANOMALOUS” AND A NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE, 1800–1960 Download; XML; AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME Download; XML; LAST CALL FOR THE TWENTIETH CENTURY Here’s how it works and why we have it. But why does the U. The rules for the Electoral College are outlined in the 12th Amendment of the Constitution. ” —Lawrence Lessig, author of They Don’t Represent Us Every four years, millions of Americans wonder why they choose While the Electoral College has its defenders, there’s a much deeper bench of people who don’t understand exactly why it is that 538 electors, not 330 million-plus American voters, actually Alex Keyssar, Matthew W. The Electoral College: Why We Still Use It And How To End It : But why do we even have a system where the victor could be someone who didn't win a majority of votes? Alex Keyssar (Matthew W. The The House of Representatives picked Adams over Andrew Jackson, who won the popular vote but only a plurality of the Electoral College. In 2000, coinciding with a presidential election that was con-tested long after Election Day and not decided until the Supreme Court ren- so we have this long history of dysfunction, attempted reforms, public opinion and the final thing which really got me going was uncovering, i thought, it took me a while to fully figure this out but the conventional answers to the questions, the long-standing conventional answer is you'll have to electoral college reform because of a small Q: You write about President Jimmy Carter’s suggested reforms and that the African American community was divided on the advantages and disadvantages of potentially replacing the Electoral College with direct By revealing the reasons for past failures and showing how close we’ve come to abolishing the Electoral College, Keyssar offers encouragement to those hoping for change. Harrington Student Ambassadors: Meghan Query ‘24, Politics, and Janelle Fassi ‘21, The Electoral College was founded because the founders — the guys in wigs — couldn't agree on how to elect a president. Social Education October 2020 This probing discussion of the Electoral College offers new approaches to teaching about this often-perplexing political system. What is the process? The Electoral College process consists of the selection of the electors, the meeting By revealing the reasons for past failures and showing how close we've come to abolishing the Electoral College, Keyssar offers encouragement to those hoping for change. Thanks for coming on. ELECTIONS. In this discussion, Prof. Published [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] In his latest book, "Why Do We Still Have The Electoral College?" Alex Keyssar examines the myriad reasons that we still follow with what he calls, "a process that does not By revealing the reasons for past failures and showing how close we’ve come to abolishing the Electoral College, Keyssar offers encouragement to those hoping for change. Choose from multiple link options via Crossref. In a less partisan climate, reform might find fertile ground. Why do we have the electoral college and how does it work? Weeping liberals still cannot fathom Trump’s victory. Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College? [Alexander Keyssar] on Amazon. Every four Why do we still have the Electoral College? The Electoral College system was created as a compromise for the Founding Fathers, as some wanted popular elections for president and others wanted to Why oh why are we still using the electoral college? By next week, three of the past seven elections might have been won without a popular majority. The Electoral College has received a lot of attention of late, leading many to question why it exists — and what it would take to remove it. Learn. It’s through the Electoral College that we select the president Why do we have an Electoral College? The selection of the president is outlined in perhaps the most confusing clause in the Constitution ( Article II, Sec. I think that’s a question that a lot of people have on their mind and the fact that we In Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College?, Alexander Keyssar unpacks the history of the Electoral College and explains why it persists despite longstanding criticism of the system and efforts to reform or abolish it. Miguel_the_GOAT7990. history and has not infrequently produced results that defied the In Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College?, Alexander Keyssar unpacks the history of the Electoral College and explains why it persists despite longstanding criticism of the system and efforts to reform or abolish it. Ever felt confused about how a handful of electors can decide the fate of an entire nation? You’re not alone! In How Do 538 People Decide the Fate of a Nation?, Tyler McCormick takes you on a captivating journey through the maze of the Electoral College — a system that can feel as baffling as it is critical. Dan Rothstein. Efforts to reform the process date back to the early 19th Century. A special commission named by the House chose Hayes over Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College? [Alexander Keyssar]. the nation's trouble and fraught history about the right to vote. It was a compromise McCabe: When people in a state cast a vote for president in the elections, their votes are used to direct a set of “electors” on how to vote during the meeting of the Electoral Why do we still have the Electoral College? It is written in the Constitution which makes it very difficult to change and there are still many people who support the EC. So why In a close 2024 election, it’s again possible a candidate will win the national popular vote but lose the electoral vote. The founders would not recognize today’s Electoral College Why does the United States have an Electoral College when it would be so easy to directly elect a president, as we do for all the a candidate to win the popular vote and still not become A New Statesman Book of the Year "America's greatest historian of democracy now offers an extraordinary history of the most bizarre aspect of our representative democracy--the electoral collegeA brilliant contribution to a critical current debate. We have an Electoral College because that’s what the founders added to the Constitution at the last minute. this book, i do believe, i was sorry the book, why do we still have the electoral college will have the same role i think as kind of the anchor explanation of the history practice and possibilities for change for the electoral college. To put it simply, in the most powerful democracy in the world, two of the nation’s last four leaders have been the less popular option among voters Why do we still have the Electoral College? The Electoral College system was created as a compromise for the Founding Fathers, as some wanted popular elections for president and others wanted to I think CaptainSquishy1 is referring to the idea that if we got rid of the electoral college, then candidates would only need to campaign in large urban cities. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. In the political game in the United States do campaigns have to disclose who they have paid as consultants and how much they paid them? Why do we have the electoral college and how does it work? The three-year-old startup, which offers savings and investment services to consumers, achieved the milestone while still growing by more than 10 times Why does the Electoral College still amendments to change it or get rid of it filed since 1800,” wrote historian Alexander Keyssar in his book Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College Most of us who follow politics have heard of the Electoral College and understand that it affects the presidential election, with candidates having to focus on so-called swing states that are key There have been five presidents who won the electoral vote, but not the popular vote — John Quincy Adams, Rutherford B. Alex Keyssar is among those who have asked Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College? His book explores the history behind efforts for reform. 8 million votes but won 30 Why do we still have the Electoral College? The Electoral College system was created as a compromise for the Founding Fathers, as some wanted popular elections for president and others wanted to Below are some of the many benefits of the Electoral College. Much of the discussion Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College? stresses that attempts at reform have come in waves, prompted by “near-miss wrong-winner” elections (p. ”—Michael A New Statesman Book of the Year "America's greatest historian of democracy now offers an extraordinary history of the most bizarre aspect of our representative democracy--the electoral collegeA brilliant contribution to a critical current debate. Keyssar was introduced by two Kevin B. For decades, a majority of Americans have wanted it to be changed. ” What is it, why do we have it, and why hasn't it changed? Born from a rushed, fraught, imperfect process, the origins and evolution of the Electoral College might surprise you and make you think For historian Alex Keyssar, Matthew W. Why is there an Electoral College? When America was founded, the framers of the Constitution created the Electoral College as a middle ground between a What is it, why do we have it, and why hasn't it changed? Born from a rushed, fraught, imperfect process, the origins and evolution of the Electoral College Harvard University Professor Alexander Keyssar offered his thoughts about the Electoral College. His latest book is Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College?. Our phone conversation, edited for length and clarity, is below. Alex Keyssar was joined by Prof. Every four years, millions of Americans wonder why they choose their presidents through the Electoral College, an arcane institution that permits the loser of the popular vote to become president and narrows campaigns to swing states. Keyssar covered two other subjects likely to be very important this election year. The Electoral College is viewed as a democratic anachronism in modern-day America, yet it has persisted for over two centuries despite Since its establishment, the Electoral College has stood out as one of America’s most unpopular political institutions. The framers of the Constitution set it up to give more power to the states and as a compromise to avoid having Congress decide the winner. "--Lawrence Lessig, author of They Don't Represent Us Every four years, millions of Americans wonder why they choose their What is it, why do we have it, and why hasn't it changed? Born from a rushed, fraught, imperfect process, the origins and evolution of the Electoral College might surprise you and make you think Join Professor Alexander Keyssar as he discusses his new book, "Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College" with Jamelle Bouie on P&P Live!Purchase Book Her What is the Electoral College and Why Do We Have It? During the Constitutional Convention in 1787, America’s Founders debated for months about how to elect a president with some arguing that Congress should pick one and While the Electoral College has its defenders, there’s a much deeper bench of people who don’t understand exactly why it is that 538 electors, not 330 million-plus American voters, actually Of course, the things that are still in the books that were put there by the founding fathers, it seems a little silly to me that we can't go into a room and have conversations about them, that we In this installation of our series, Alexander Keyssar, in conversation with Graham Allison, will explore his extraordinarily relevant and timely new book, Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College?(Harvard University Press) – a must-read for every American today. Electoral College, Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College? 1 In previous publications, Prof. One of the chief virtues of Alexander Keyssar’s remarkable new book Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College? is that it conclusively demonstrates the absurdity of preserving an institution that has been so Gallup polls from 1944 to 2004 indicate that the majority of the public would like to see the Electoral College abolished, yet there’s been only one failed effort to do so, in the early 1970s. In two of the six presidential elections conducted With every presidential election, Americans puzzle over the peculiar mechanism of the Electoral College. history have lost the popular vote and still managed to win the election, A New Statesman Book of the Year “America’s greatest historian of democracy now offers an extraordinary history of the most bizarre aspect of our representative democracy—the electoral collegeA brilliant contribution to a critical current debate. The states elect the president. This virtual event was hosted by Harvard Book Store in Cambridge, Massachusetts. There were a number of reasons the idea was not widely popular. Established in 1787, the Electoral College is as old as the U. Alex Keyssar. With every presidential election, Americans puzzle over the peculiar mechanism of the Electoral College. The work is available from the following locations: Why do we have the electoral college and how does it Donald Trump lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton but became president as a result of his winning a majority in the Electoral College. He considers how the The title of Harvard historian Alexander Keyssar’s new book poses the question that comes up every presidential election cycle: Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College? (Harvard University Press, 2020). Its members, called electors, are either elected by the people for this purpose (making the whole process an The decision to create an Electoral College was never obvious. But its But despite numerous attempts to reform or even abolish it, the Electoral College remains the mechanism by which Americans choose their president every four years. Jesse Wegman, a member of the New York Times editorial board, joins host Krys Boyd to talk about how the power behind millions of individual votes can disappear No other American election has an Electoral College, and even one of the framers of the Constitution said it wasn’t their best work. Alex Keyssar is among The book is called, “Distorting Democracy: The Forgotten History of the Electoral College and Why It Matters Today. edu/faculty/alex-keyssar) ,’s new book poses the question that comes up every presi In “Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College?,” Harvard history professor Alexander Keyssar sets out to explain the persistence of a technique that in public opinion polls has never Why do we still have the Electoral College? The Electoral College system was created as a compromise for the Founding Fathers, as some wanted popular elections for president and others wanted to In Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College?, Alexander Keyssar unpacks the history of the Electoral College and explains why it persists despite longstanding criticism of the system and efforts to reform or abolish it. . 1 ). Each state’s electors vote for the candidate who won the popular vote in that state. But the showboating businessman ended up in the West Wing regardless. Resource Page — The Electoral College: What’s to be Done. All HKS affiliates are welcome to attend; register using the RSVP link above. The work is available from the following locations: Alexander Keyssar, professor of history and public policy at Harvard’s John F. Backers of the Electoral College idea say the system balances power among large and small states, brings stability, and is an obstacle to demagogues. A New Statesman Book of the Year With every presidential election, Americans puzzle over the peculiar mechanism of the Electoral College. Elements of the Electoral College have changed since the Constitution was drafted, since voting rights expanded and citizens choose their state's electors. And because we were coming out of King George Welcome to Model Citizen. The Founding Fathers established it in the Constitution, in part, as a compromise between the election of the President by a vote in Congress and election of the President by a popular vote of qualified citizens. It was a compromise of compromises, According to Pennsylvania delegate James Wilson, it was the “most difficult” question “of all on which we have had While the Electoral College has its defenders, there’s a much deeper bench of people who don’t understand exactly why it is that 538 electors, not 330 million-plus American voters, actually In the United States, a candidate becomes president not by winning a majority of the national popular vote but through a system called the Electoral College, which allots electoral votes to the 50 As we find ourselves in yet another high-stakes election season, here are some surprising facts about the institution’s origins and evolution—and just who is in the Electoral College—to Why we have the Electoral College . "Conclusively demonstrates the absurdity of preserving an institution that has been so contentious throughout U. history and has not infrequently produced results that defied the popular will. And yet, the Electoral College is still with us. Historian Alexander Keyssar explains in *Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College* that the framers’ concerns included potential bias towards larger states and voters’ limited knowledge of ― Keith E. Paul Nolette, assistant professor in the department of political science, why, after 225 One of the chief virtues of Alexander Keyssar’s remarkable new book Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College? is that it conclusively demonstrates the absurdity of preserving an institution that has been so contentious throughout U. What happens if no presidential candidate gets 270 electoral votes? the House of Representatives decides. “They hold the ceremony in the House of Delegates chambers. “An undercurrent of democratic In the intervening centuries, both chambers of Congress have voted to change the Electoral College — most recently in 1969 — but these efforts all ultimately failed.