In the 2016 presidential election, Democratic candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton won the national popular vote by 2.9 million votes votes. However, due to the mechanics of the Electoral College, Republican candidate Donald Trump gained 304 Electoral College votes, thus winning the election. There was brief outrage among the Democrats, but the debate over the Electoral College quickly faded away. Is the Electoral College consistent with democratic principles, or is it an obsolete institution contrary to democratic principles?
Consider these factors while developing your position:
Should the Electoral College be scrapped in favor of a direct popular vote, or re-engineered to make it more consistent with the popular vote?
What are the strongest arguments for and against the Electoral College in its present form? Make sure you can demonstrate how the Electoral College actually works in presenting your argument.