Stanford students are widely known to possess a sense of intellectual vitality. Tell us about an idea or an experience you have had that you find intellectually engaging.
For my senior project, I have chosen to research whether the popular vote should elect government officials rather than the Electoral College. Taking a side on this research paper has been a tough task for me to complete due to my wavering opinion on the matter.
Because it is a citizen's right to be able to vote for an official, it would seem that this vote should directly influence who is elected. Members of the Electoral College have the ability to vote however they like, regardless of the popular vote of their state. Therefore, they possess the ability to inaccurately represent the will of the people. This leads many citizens to feel that their vote does not really count, lowering voter turnout.
On the other hand, great amounts of people who have the power to vote are uneducated in the political field. Although I support the election of President Obama, I feel that the majority of young voters elected him solely because they wanted to make history rather than selecting him based upon his political ideologies and values. The Electoral College also leads candidates to visit smaller states that they would otherwise not pay attention to because of the overwhelming power large states would have.
Controversial elections such as Bush versus Gore continue to test the fairness of the Electoral College and my support for it. This issue continues to peek my interest because of its many convincing viewpoints and its vital importance in government.
For my senior project, I have chosen to research whether the popular vote should elect government officials rather than the Electoral College. Taking a side on this research paper has been a tough task for me to complete due to my wavering opinion on the matter.
Because it is a citizen's right to be able to vote for an official, it would seem that this vote should directly influence who is elected. Members of the Electoral College have the ability to vote however they like, regardless of the popular vote of their state. Therefore, they possess the ability to inaccurately represent the will of the people. This leads many citizens to feel that their vote does not really count, lowering voter turnout.
On the other hand, great amounts of people who have the power to vote are uneducated in the political field. Although I support the election of President Obama, I feel that the majority of young voters elected him solely because they wanted to make history rather than selecting him based upon his political ideologies and values. The Electoral College also leads candidates to visit smaller states that they would otherwise not pay attention to because of the overwhelming power large states would have.
Controversial elections such as Bush versus Gore continue to test the fairness of the Electoral College and my support for it. This issue continues to peek my interest because of its many convincing viewpoints and its vital importance in government.