The Debate That Gave Us the Electoral College

Introduction

• Recent elections highlight how the Electoral College can lead to a President who did not win the popular vote (e.g., 2016 election).
• The origins of the Electoral College discussed at the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
  • Misconceptions: It's often seen as distrust in the people or a tool to perpetuate slavery.
  • Reality: It was about both and more.

John Dickinson's Perspective

• Delegate from Delaware, an architect of the Electoral College.
• Unlike others, he neither distrusted the people nor supported slavery.
• Background:
  • Extensive political experience; legislator, Congress member, governor.
  • Authored first draft of the Articles of Confederation.
  • Advocate for women's rights and abolitionist.

Goals of the Constitutional Convention

• Balance between freedom of people and power of government.
• Protect the worthy from people's and government's excesses.
• Concerns:
  • Involving states in federal government.
  • Prevent populous states from overpowering smaller ones.
  • Maintain separation of powers.
  • Determine people's role in Presidential elections.

Debates on Presidency

• Safeguards against a tyrannical President:
  • Advocacy for impeachment and prosecution.
  • Debate on having a weak, yet popularly elected President.
  • Preference for a plural executive, but settled on a single executive.
• Election method:
  • Dickinson preferred direct election by the people.
  • Many feared pure democracy.
  • Compromise involved electors chosen to preserve the republic.

The Elector System

• Introduced by James Wilson, Dickinson's former law clerk.
• Electors to choose the President.
  • Intended to reinforce socio-economic hierarchy.
  • Gave states a stake in choosing the executive.
• Expanded the Three-Fifths Clause to Presidential elections.
• Dickinson's objections:
  • Belief that electors should be chosen by the people, not legislatures.

Aftermath and Reflections

• Initial state legislatures appointed electors.
• Dickinson later expressed regret for not specifying popular choice in Constitution.
• Benefits of the elector plan acknowledged:
  • Consideration that people might lack information for informed choices.
  • Hope that civic education would eventually make electors unnecessary.

Current Relevance

• Comparison of today's context to the past:
  • Vastly expanded citizenry and universal suffrage.
  • Issues with uninformed voters and extreme partisanship remain.
• Dickinson's desire for civic education and direct presidential elections resonates today.

Conclusion

• Electoral College was meant to protect from unscrupulous politicians but hasn't fulfilled this role.
• Dickinson's vision for civic education and direct elections remains pertinent.
• Potential risk of reverting to colonial hierarchy without reform.

Additional References

• Jane E. Calvert's biography on John Dickinson: Penman of the Founding.
• Discussion in Picking the President: Understanding the Electoral College.
• Correction noted regarding publication details and biography title.