WASHINGTON, Jan. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Making Every Vote Count Foundation (MEVC) announced today the findings of a detailed report to answer a question pondered by the American public, voters and scholars for decades: How can we improve the Electoral College system we use to elect the President? With the 2024 presidential election in full swing, the Electoral College remains as flawed as it was the day the Constitution was ratified, leading to increasingly disenfranchised voters, enhanced national division, and the election of candidates who may not have received the most votes.
The MEVC report, titled “Improving Our Electoral College Systemem,” brings into focus the centuries-old shortcomings of the Electoral College and several possible alternatives to a system that does not reflect the democratic value of all votes counting equally. MEVC, a leading nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to educating the American public about the presidential selection system, offers its report to provoke a national conversation on five paths to reforming the presidential election system.
“Many Americans have legitimate concerns about how we elect our President and whether the Electoral College system violates the fundamental democratic principle of equal representation,” said Elizabeth Cavanagh, Chair and CEO of MEVC and Director of the Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) Program at American University Washington College of Law. “The stark disparities in voter turnout between ‘safe’ and swing states, coupled with the disproportionate impact on underrepresented groups, underscore the urgent need for Electoral College reform.”
The report was prepared by MEVC following a collaboration over the past year with leading scholars and nonprofit organizations working on voting rights and election issues to analyze the Electoral College’s weaknesses, understand its strengths, and evaluate various reform proposals. MEVC offers the report to advance public education about the historical roots of the Electoral College and to spark debate about whether the Electoral College still serves our modern democratic system of choosing elected officials by a vote of the people. The report includes a detailed strategy for voter outreach, engagement and education ahead of the 2024 presidential election, led by MEVC with contributions from the American Constitution Society (ACS).
“It is time that we once again have a sustained national conversation about alternatives to the Electoral College — an electoral system that is clumsily complex, distorts presidential campaigns by focusing all attention on swing states, and permits a candidate who receives fewer votes to become President,” commented Professor Alex Keyssar, Professor of History and Social Policy at Harvard Kennedy School, and author of the 2020 book entitled, Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College. “A majority of Americans have long believed that the electoral system needs change. Fifty years ago, Congress came within a few votes of approving a constitutional amendment for a national popular vote, and I agree with MEVC that the time is right for a wide-ranging discussion about the value of the Electoral College.”
A Need for Greater Education and Awareness Around Electoral College Reform
MEVC issued this report at a time when public confidence in our Presidential election system is at historic lows. In the coming months, MEVC and other nonprofit organizations will host educational summits and webinars, stakeholder briefings, and engage with all forms of the media to help Americans understand and debate the future of the Electoral College system.
Engaging a diverse cross-section of American society, MEVC will lead discussions of Electoral College reforms in order to have a more inclusive and resilient presidential election system.
About Making Every Vote Count Foundation
MEVC is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to educating the public about the weaknesses of the current presidential election system and possible reforms of that system. We believe that the outcome of a presidential election should reflect the will of the voters, not only because we believe in the principle that all votes should be equal but also because when presidential election outcomes don’t reflect the will of the voters or are perceived not to, public distrust of our democracy follows. Visit our website at www.makingeveryvotecount.com.
SOURCE Making Every Vote Count Foundation
