Pros and cons about the electoral college are often cited. For example, one often cited pro is that the use of the electoral college prevents calls for recounts and offers a level of certainty to elections. An often stated con is that the use of the electoral college may allow the candidate who does not win the popular vote to win the overall election. Those who cite this con are concerned that the will of the people is not always counted in an election.

Question

The Electoral College should continue to be used in presidential elections because it is the fairest means of electing a president. It ensures that people in every state have a role in electing the president, no matter what their state’s demographics are.

Question
Use the passage to answer the question.

A student is developing a counterclaim to this argument. Which counterclaim is the most fair and effective?

(1 point)
Responses

Everyone knows that each voter should have only one vote, and the Electoral College makes it possible for some people’s votes to count as more or less than one.
Everyone knows that each voter should have only one vote, and the Electoral College makes it possible for some people’s votes to count as more or less than one.

The reason why the Electoral College was established was to make it more difficult for people of color and formerly enslaved people to vote.
The reason why the Electoral College was established was to make it more difficult for people of color and formerly enslaved people to vote.

Since it is an all-or-nothing system for each state’s votes, the Electoral College allows elections to potentially be decided solely by swing states.
Since it is an all-or-nothing system for each state’s votes, the Electoral College allows elections to potentially be decided solely by swing states.

There have been four presidential elections in our nation’s history where the winner won the Electoral College vote but not the popular vote.
There have been four presidential elections in our nation’s history where the winner won the Electoral College vote but not the popular vote.

Answer 1

The most fair and effective counterclaim to the argument in favor of the Electoral College is:

"Since it is an all-or-nothing system for each state’s votes, the Electoral College allows elections to potentially be decided solely by swing states."

This counterclaim effectively highlights the issue of representation and fairness in the Electoral College system, pointing out that it can marginalize the votes of those in states that are not considered competitive. It acknowledges the concern that the system may disproportionately value the votes of individuals in swing states over those in states that are either strongly Democratic or Republican, which is a critical consideration in evaluating the fairness of the electoral process.