Scrapping the Electoral College Would Bring About Negative Unintended Consequences

Latest Polls (view all)

Where do you stand on the Transgender Issue now that the issue has gotten to the overt point of the open celebration of this lifestyle choice, dictated by certain direct and explicit actions.

91.07% I do not approve of behavior that has within its expressed tenants policies that harm children.

8.04% I do support the Trans Community in all its many facets because diversity is at a premium in today's society.

0.89% What is a "Children's Drag Queen Story Hour?"

Click Here to Vote
112 Vote(s)

View all Polls

Scrapping the Electoral College Would Bring About Negative Unintended Consequences

Published: Thursday, December 10th, 2020 @ 5:40 am
By: John Locke Foundation ( More Entries )

Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of the John Locke Foundation. The author of this post is Mitch Kokai.

Those who want to get rid of the Electoral College might reconsider their views after scanning Richard Brookhiser's recent history lesson on the topic in American History magazine.

Is the Electoral College still a shield against fraud? Foreign countries have been trying to influence American elections as far back as 1796, when France was threatening grave consequences unless a Francophile candidate, meaning Jefferson, won, and as recently as 2016, when Russia reached out to the Trump campaign with multiple tentacles. But foreigners could not tamper with the vote.

One unintended consequence of the Electoral College may be the blunting of homegrown vote-stealing in presidential contests. Every political machine tries to thumb the scale, but perhaps only in 1844 did that tip an election. Historian Daniel Walker Howe argues that Henry Clay lost New York's electoral votes, and thus the race, not only because the abolitionist Liberty Party diverted anti-slavery Whigs from Clay — the view taught in textbooks — but also through Tammany Hall skullduggery on behalf of victor James Polk. Richard Nixon's 1960 campaign, believing vote stealing had thrown that contest to JFK, demanded recounts in several states. When Illinois, one of the largest, examined its returns, officials found fraud, but not enough to have changed the result. A recount in Hawaii actually moved that state from Nixon's to Kennedy's column.

Targeting decisive races in a continent-sized republic is difficult enough for the purposes of ordinary campaigning. For vote stealing it is a more difficult undertaking yet.

In a tight race decided by a national popular vote, however, any vote stolen anywhere would be worthwhile. The temptation to run up one's candidate's tally would be almost irresistible — and none would resist. National recounts would inevitably follow, like nightmares after a bad dinner. Such a system could work only with a national voter ID card.

Go Back

Login to Leave a Comment

Biden’s Mask Stance Proves Problematic

John Locke Foundation Guest Editorial, Editorials, Op-Ed & Politics

Pervasive Sex Discrimination at North Carolina Universities

Our Members

ENCN Sign Up

BCN Home

Beaufort Observer

Portfolios

Current Events: A Historical Perspective

Current Weather

Latest Comments

Latest Polls

Featured Entries

Latest Entries

Scrapping the Electoral College Would Bring About Negative Unintended Consequences | Eastern NC Now

Scrapping the Electoral College Would Bring About Negative Unintended Consequences

Leave a Guest Comment

Latest Op-Ed & Politics

You Have Been Warned

Current Events

Putin, globalists, and Democrats may learn from each other on rigging elections

anti-immigration party wins a second German state election, Christian Dems lose all seats

Seven Lies America Believes, and the Ancient Lie Behind Them All

Bill Maher singles out Roy Cooper and Ossoff for refusing to fight socialist fringe of Dem party

radical VA Gov. Spanberger kills protection of women's sports and locker rooms from men

In Spain's Basque region, 74% of sex crimes & 73% of homicides committed by ilegal aliens

The real story of why diesel and gasoline prices have risen

Surveillance Patent Shows Flock Spying Way Worse Than Advertised

The Socialist Threat Is No Longer on the Fringe

radical Virginia AG forms unit to target gun manufacturers and dealers - war on 2nd amendment

Greg Abbott Has A Message For Those Betting On Texas Turning Blue

Corrupt Democrat funding machine ACTBlue caught waiving through illegal foreign funds

Democrats push measures for abortion until birth & forcing gay marriage on churches in Virginia

Illegal alien migrants behaving badly - migrants and crime NEWLY UPDATED

Musk Expected To Spend Up To $200M To Boost GOP In Midterms

Democrats Open New Midterm Front In America’s Heartland

No More Free Rides: Inside The Fight Over Medicaid Work Requirements

English village votes by 96% to secede from UK over huge migrant camp planned next door

Meet the rapists and child predators that Roy Cooper released from prison; half re-offended

Federal judge asks DOJ to investigate Soros Phily District Atty. for Obstruction of Justice

Congressman Pat Harrigan (R-NC) leads charge in Congress against Flock spy cameras

SCOTUS Gives Trump Green Light To Keep Building White House Ballroom For Now

The Promise, the Reality, and the Lie

Queen Garris Performs Again

Anti-immigration party soars in national German poll after win in key state election