Democracy is at Risk — Needlessly

10/11/23

The closer we get to the next presidential election, the more concerned I am about electing a president who lacks the support of the majority. It needn’t happen, but it might. In fact, it seems likely.

One reason it could happen is the electoral college could end up causing the installation of a candidate who doesn’t win the popular vote. That prospect, to my mind, should be sufficient to do away with the electoral college. As a supporter of democracy, I hold the concept of majority rule dear, and I don’t see any justification for institutionalizing the capacity to override that outcome. It seems obvious that the only people who would support the status quo on the electoral college are those who must recognize the bias inherent in the system, and they support it anyway because it works in their favor. Shameful.

The electoral college aside, the more likely reason we could end up with a presidential winner who lacks the support of the majority (or, in fact, the winner of any elective race) is that the ballot lists more than two candidates. These “extra” candidates will necessarily make it harder for anyone to win a majority of the vote.

Here’s a thought exercise: Suppose we have three candidates running for office. Assume the percentage breakdowns for the three are 42 percent, 40 percent, and 18 percent…