Recently, there has been a lot of debate regarding the effectiveness of the Electoral College. Much of the discussion has revolved around the intent of the Founding Fathers. Other discussions focus on the what role the people should play in selecting a President. Currently, the popular vote translates into electors which cannot exceed the state's total representation in Congress. Currently the House of Representatives consists of 435 members and the Senate of 100 members. The Constitution also provides that the District of Columbia is entitled to 3. electors, Thus the total number of electors is 538. A candidate for President must win a plurality of the vote, which is 270. In the Presidential election of 2016, Hillary Clinton won the popular vote but lost in the electoral college. Advocates of abolishing the Electoral College argue that the system is outdated and is based in the political compromises related to slavery (3/5's Compromise), and the general distrust of the populace to make important decisions. Others argue that the Electoral College skews the results and favors larger and more strategically situated states over others who are less favored. Proponents argue that the system has worked well and there is no need to abolish or change it. It provides an additional layer of checks for the electoral system.
