US Presidential Elections

U.S. Presidential Elections
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U.S. Presidential Elections
Introduction
The United States (U.S.) is considered a superpower by many in the world. Also, the country is said to have the largest economy in the world. However, despite being a leader in many sectors in the world, the country still has one of the most outdated electoral processes in the world. Even though the U.S. claims to be democratic and has on many occasions voiced its opinion on the undemocratic proceedings in other countries, the country’s electoral process, with regard to the presidency, is far from being democratic. First of all, the U.S. holds presidential elections every four years. As per the laws of the land, elections in the U.S. must happen in November. “The Tuesday next after the 1st Monday in November, in every even-numbered year, is established as the day for the election, in each of the States and Territories of the United States” (Cornell Law School, 2021). For most people, this represents the first problem with the American presidential elections because Tuesdays are considered working days, and most people are usually at work on election day. Aside from the above, there is also the issue of the Electoral College, which has been quite controversial since it was established. Apparently, in the U.S., the popular vote is not the final say on who becomes the president of the country. The Electoral College is the one that decides who becomes the president. How democratic is this, considering the U.S.’s stance on democracy in the world? Furthermore, there is the problem of swing states that is created by the Electoral College as well. In the past two elections, for example, campaigns were highly concentrated in a few states famously known as the swing states. Apparently, these are the states that get to decide who becomes president. For example, in the 2020 presidential election, the key states or swing states that ultimately led to President Joe Biden winning the election included Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, and Pennsylvania (Mejia and Skelley, 2020). The presence of swing states further limits the democracy of the entire electoral process. Can the U.S. say that they have a democratically elected president? Why give the power to only a few people while the country has the capability to elect a president through popular vote? These are some questions that continually make the U.S. election one of the most controversial in the world but still the most interesting.
Overview of the Election Process
To understand the election process, it is crucial first to understand what the Electoral College is, its role, and the distribution of Electoral College votes in the country. The Electoral College is a group of electors from each of the country’s states who are tasked with electing the president of the country. The electors are equal in number to the members of Congress in the country (USA.gov, 2021). Furthermore, every state gets a number of electors that is equal to the number of members it has in both houses. These electors are the ones who hold the final card in the presidential elections after the popular vote has been cast. Currently, there are 538 electors in the country, and to win the presidency, one must amass a total of 270 votes from the electors. Therefore, the Electoral Colleg’'s crucial role is deciding who gets to be president after everyone else has had their say. Well, here is where the controversy begins because while people vote because they believe they have the power to decide who gets to be president, the Electoral College gets to make the final decision. It is crucial to note that there have been instances when the country’s popular opinion through the popular vote varied greatly with the Electoral College. For example, during the 2016 elections, even though Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, she did not become president because President Trump won the votes cast by the Electoral College. Such instances are not rare and have happened before, with another such instance taking place between President Bush and Gore. Gore did win the popular vote but ended up losing the presidency to Bush because Bush won the Electoral College votes. This issue has been controversial and caused many to question the electoral process of the U.S.
Regarding the distribution of Electoral College votes, every state has a number of electors that is equal to its number of Congress members. Some states like California have 55 electors while others like Wyoming and Montana have 3 each. From the above, it is crucial to note that the electors are awarded with close consideration to population distribution but not population. Such a system is indeed wanting and discriminating because some states are considered less important in the election period. This, therefore, introduces the idea of voting patterns and the organization of election campaigns.
In the U.S., voting patterns are quite significant in how campaigns are run as well as the distribution of the campaigns. According to Hoban (2016), in the past 5 elections, “thirty three states have voted for the same party.” Also, he continues to indicate that “40 of the 50 states have voted for the same party since 2000.” Such patterns are key in determining which routes the presidential candidates will focus their energies on. For example, California has majorly voted Democratic. Therefore, there is no need to spend one’s energy to try and campaign for Joe Biden. It is almost inevitably known that he will win the 55 electoral votes. However, in a state like Michigan that voted for Obama and has in the past swung, either way, there is a need to dedicate one’s efforts and resources there. According to the national popular vote (2021), in the 2016 elections, 94% of the campaign events were held in 12 states only. 273 events of the 399 campaign events that year were held in only 6 states (National Popular Vote, 2021). Such numbers showcase a divide in how the country approaches elections. The influence that these patterns have end up dividing the country into the most important states to the least important states. There are those that are predominantly Republican, like Texas, and are expected to vote Republican. Therefore, little effort is put here because no Democratic presidential candidate could win there. However, the most bizarre thing is that once a person wins, they end up becoming the president of the entire country not a few states. What the above shows is that such an approach reduces the country into a few battlegrounds. How about a system that allows one to win the hearts and minds of the entire country? How about a system that will force a presidential candidate to campaign in Wyoming just as hard as they are campaigning in Arizona?
Key or chief to the presidential election process is the role of states in helping to manage the voting process. Every state has a key role to play in the election process. As per the American Constitution, voting is not mandatory. However, as a right, every person is allowed to vote (USA.gov, 2021). However, the role of states can crucially influence the outcome of an election. For example, absentee voting or voting by mail are some of the ways that American citizens can express their voting right. It is crucial to add that every state has laws that make it easier for people to express their right to vote either physically or through the mail. However, states can also be an impediment to the voting process. As recently by the Brennan Center for Justice (2021), a number of states have passed laws that make voting quite difficult for individuals thinking of using the absentee voting process of the mail-in ballot process. Such restrictive laws, in turn, limit the options voters have and could potentially increase the number of people who cannot vote. On the other hand, several other states also introduced some expansive laws that make it easier for voters to cast their votes using whichever means. Surprisingly, the states with increasingly restrictive laws are in the Republican bloc (Alas, 2021). All the more, the above shows that the American voting system or electoral process, especially regarding the presidency, is flawed. As indicated by Johnson and Feldman (2020), these laws increasingly limit minority races or people from exercising their rights. Such a public spectacle in adopting laws that restrict people from voting is indeed barbaric and retrogressive. Therefore, there is a need to consider new and much fresher electoral laws to help make the process more democratic and give the people a real voice in the election period. An African American in Texas should feel like they have a voice and that they have played a key part in deciding who the president becomes.
Reflection
Arguments for or aga...