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Position Paper

The document proposes an amendment to reform the US electoral system. The current system is flawed and could allow misrepresentation of the American people. The amendment would change to a proportional representation system where votes are distributed proportionally in each district rather than winner-take-all statewide. It would also replace the Electoral College with a popular vote to prevent electing a candidate not chosen by the people. These reforms would create a fairer system, increase voter participation, and open the possibility of a multi-party system.

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595 views

Position Paper

The document proposes an amendment to reform the US electoral system. The current system is flawed and could allow misrepresentation of the American people. The amendment would change to a proportional representation system where votes are distributed proportionally in each district rather than winner-take-all statewide. It would also replace the Electoral College with a popular vote to prevent electing a candidate not chosen by the people. These reforms would create a fairer system, increase voter participation, and open the possibility of a multi-party system.

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x0hector0x
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Hector Marquez, Ashley Robinson,

Jonathan Sample, Levon Avagyan


Mekeda Webb-Ramseur
Water
History 11
14 October 2008
Position Paper

The election system as it is now in the United States is severely flawed. The

number of circumstances where the misrepresentation and exploitation of the American

people are possible is inexcusable. If nothing is done to repair the broken system, it will

degenerate into an organization that resembles nothing close to democracy. The

introduction of our amendment will both give better representation of the American

people, and close loopholes where the populace could be exploited.

With our amendment, the electoral system would be changed from one that values

those that live in larger states more than others, to one where everyone is equally

represented. The system would also be changed so that proportional representation would

be introduced, meaning that different districts in a state could endorse different

candidates, rather than the whole state having to endorse just one candidate. Doing this

would also give a better chance to smaller parties, so that they would not have to win

whole states, just the smaller districts, changing America from the two party system that

it has become to a multi-party system that can represent the diverse wishes of America.

The second part of the amendment would close up many loopholes, eradicating

any chances of the Electoral College electing a candidate that the American people did

not choose. By making an electoral vote be cast by the American people as opposed to

one politician, the chances of that politician being swayed into doing something the
American people do not want are lessened. This amendment also puts down in writing

what was previously just an unwritten custom, so that if a politician were to try and go

against the American people’s wishes, there would be real repercussions as opposed to

just a slap on the wrist. Also, the chances of a tie will be greatly reduced. Since the

chances of 538 districts being split exactly down the middle is much less likely than a

few large states having the same amount of electoral votes as many smaller states, the

responsibility of choosing the President and VP will remain in the hands of the American

people, and not the Senate and House of Representatives.

These changes will also serve to revitalize the American public. People that were

once disillusioned will now be more confident of their role in the election process. People

would once again go out to vote in states that usually tilt strongly to the left or right of the

political spectrum. With the new excitement about the proportional representation system

in the electoral system, a complete turn to proportional representation in every facet of

the government may not be a pipe dream anymore.

The change from a winner-takes-all system to a system of proportional

representation can only bring positive changes to America. A fairer election system, a

written law to prevent the Electoral College from disobeying the people, and a revitalized

voting population will bring elections to a new standard which was previously not

possible. States will no longer be ignored during campaigns because they usually vote red

or blue, but new avenues will be opened so that people who often thought voting was

futile can know that their vote makes a difference. This Amendment is the change that

could lead America into a complete system of proportional representation and a fairer

government for all Americans.


Works Cited

"U.S. Electoral College." NARA. United States. 17 Oct 2008

<http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/faq.html#process>.

"Bill of Rights and Later Amendments." US History. 1995. Independance Hall. 17

Oct 2008 <http://www.ushistory.org/documents/amendments.htm>.

Amy, Douglas J.. "What is PR?." US History. 2005. Mount Holyoke College. 17
Oct 2008
<http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/polit/damy/BeginnningReading/whatispr.htm>.

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