Could Congress scrap the electoral vote system?
It could begin to do so by proposing an amendment to the Constitution, but that proposal would need to be ratified by three-quarters of the states. Has Congress ever considered scrapping the Electoral College system? Yes, in 1969 the House approved a proposed constitutional amendment to abolish the Electoral College and to provide for direct popular election of the president. That plan called for a minimum of 40 percent of the popular vote required to win the presidency or a runoff election between the top-two finishers should the minimum not be met. The proposal was killed in the Senate by legislators from small states and Southern states. If the electoral vote system appears to be undemocratic, what arguments do supporters of the electoral vote system use to defend it? Republican presidential contender Ron Paul argued in 2004 that the Founding Fathers “created the electoral college to guard against majority tyranny in federal elections.
