When the United States Constitution was established in 1787, the Founding Fathers had grand visions for the future of the country. The Constitution was meant to provide the basis for our democracy, and it has generally achieved its goal. However, in the past 237 years, the United States of America has changed, and it is high time for our electoral system to change as well. There are a significant number of factors that drive our electoral system, some of which are both agreeable and understandable, but others that should be changed.

While there are issues with our electoral system, there are also many strong aspects which should be preserved, such as unmandated voting rights, the minimum voting age, and the structure of choosing a candidate for each party. Additionally, the current policy of optional voting should remain in place. If a citizen does not find a particular candidate specifically in line with their views, they should not be forced to choose one. Forcing others to vote against their better judgment causes unnecessary stresses and dilemmas for many individuals.

Additionally, while everyone should have the right to vote, setting the minimum voting age at 18 is an appropriate stipulation. According to the National Institute of Health, the human brain is not fully developed until the age of 25. Although the human brain is still not developed entirely by 18, the societal expectations of an 18-year-old in America include economic participation, such as paying taxes to the government.Therefore, it would not be just for an 18-year-old to contribute to the government without having a say in it.

Lastly, the system of primaries and caucuses is an effective method of electing presidential candidates. Primaries and caucuses allow for citizens in each state to vote on a party nominee, with their votes typically represented in a direct proportion to delegate votes.

The Electoral College is the most significant issue with our current electoral system. As outlined in the 12th Amendment, each state selects electors to vote for a president based on the candidate chosen by the popular vote in their state (except in Maine and Nebraska). The number of electoral votes given in each state is determined by the state’s population, with a candidate needing to win 270 out of the total 538 votes. According to History, this system was originally meant as a compromise between allowing the Senate or the people to choose the president; it was never meant to be a perfect electoral system.

One reason the Electoral College was created was because politicians believed that citizens did not have the knowledge or ability to make an educated choice on a presidential candidate. Given the accessibility of the 21st century, any citizen can become informed on a candidate through a five-minute search on the internet. Another reason the Electoral College was created was to give Southern states a more equal chance in the election without allowing black Americans to vote. Black Americans were counted as ⅗ of a person in order to give Southern states more political power while still reinforcing slavery.. Having a voting principle based around the exclusion of race is unconstitutional in its own right. Additionally, it is more undemocratic to have the Electoral College dictate the president than to have it solely be chosen by the popular vote. In the history of the Electoral College, five candidates have won the popular vote but lost the Electoral College. The most recent case was between Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump in the 2016 election, with Clinton winning almost 3 million more popular votes than Trump, but still losing the election. In these cases, the candidate the people chose was not the same person who gained office, which contradicts the very purpose of the system.

Gerrymandering, another issue regarding the misrepresentation of people, also needs to be reformed. The social demographics of a population should not be altered to benefit a certain group or power. The process of gerrymandering allows the structural makeup of the United States to be recorded inaccurately, therefore allowing the system to be twisted for political benefit.

The minimum age requirement to become president is adequate, but adding a maximum age requirement should be discussed, especially regarding this year’s election. The two leading candidates for the 2024 presidential election are currently Joe Biden, 81 years old, and Donald Trump, 77 years old. Both candidates would be the oldest president to hold office if reelected. Two weeks ago, Biden was investigated for his handling of classified information, sparking concern over his competence with confidential documents. According to CNN, Biden was later questioned on alternate knowledge, becoming confused over events like the death of his son and the name of another world leader. The principle behind the minimum age requirement of 35 for presidents should be applied to the opposite end of the spectrum. Without sound memories and sharp minds, presidents in their eighties are often less suited to office than younger candidates.

Conversation and debate around the electoral system can feel endless. The point of the electoral system is to include every citizen’s viewpoint and create a democratic government, and we cannot be complacent with the current state of it. . The history behind the electoral system and the extensive process required to change it will make it difficult to implement reforms, but there is always space for the United States to grow and