The Electoral College and its Meager Federalism

Abstract

The odd system for choosing the American president – the electoral college – has been defended on shifting grounds over the years. Only one of these grounds – federalism – currently remains. This article examines the historical record and concludes that federalism was not a significant reason for adoption of the system. Today, the electoral college provides at best a very meager form of federalism. Conversely, it encourages candidates to ignore states during each election and holds the potential for great mischief, including the election of a truly “regional” president.

Keywords: Electoral College, Federalism, President, Regional President

JEL Classification: K10, K19, K30, K39