The Electoral College: An ‘Educated’ Discussion of its Pros and Cons

The Electoral College: An ‘Educated’ Discussion of its Pros and Cons
Published: 30 Dec, 2020
1 min read

Chad Peace and Scott Greytak join T.J. O’Hara on Deconstructed to examine whether we should stick with the Electoral College, shift to a straight democratic vote, or entertain the consideration of something in-between.

Mr. Peace is the founder and president of IVC Media LLC and a nationally-recognized leader in election law and voter rights. Mr. Greytak is an anti-corruption attorney who is the Advocacy Director for the United States Office of Transparency International -- the oldest and largest anti-corruption coalition in the world. Together, they discuss the history of the Electoral College, the pros and cons of retaining it, and what needs to be done if changes are to be made.

Most recently in the 2000 and 2016 elections, the winner of the popular vote for President lost to the winner of the Electoral College (as is dictated by law). This has only happened three other times in history (1824, 1876, and 1888). However, it has been the topic of ongoing debate for several decades.

The challenge to the Electoral College seems to be intuitive: One person, one vote. Yet, there are issues with defaulting to a popular vote as well. Messrs. Peace and Greytak do an excellent job of explaining the nuances behind the debate.

Correspondingly, the Electoral College is embedded in the Constitution. Extracting and replacing it is a complicated process and requires the ability to meet a very high threshold. Are the arguments against the Electoral College sound enough to pass a constitutional Amendment? Are there weaknesses with using the popular vote as well? Are the parties polarized on the issue because of partisan preferences?

Listen to Chad Peace and Scott Greytak examine the issue with T.J. O’Hara… and then, form your own opinion.

You Might Also Like

New IVP 2026 California Governor Poll: What the Toplines Don’t Tell You
New IVP 2026 California Governor Poll: What the Toplines Don’t Tell You
Using verified California voter file data, IVP surveyed high-propensity voters from February 13 through 20. The poll tested first-choice ballot preferences alongside issue intensity on affordability and the cost of living, immigration enforcement, more choice reform, and more....
23 Feb, 2026
-
10 min read
81% of Americans Say Money Controls Politics – Can a Constitutional Amendment Fix It?
81% of Americans Say Money Controls Politics – Can a Constitutional Amendment Fix It?
Polls consistently show that nearly all Americans across the political spectrum agree that there is too much money in politics – whether from foreign sources, corporations, or so-called “dark money” groups. ...
23 Feb, 2026
-
13 min read
10 Reasons Why the Congressional Stock Trading Ban Will Never Pass
10 Reasons Why the Congressional Stock Trading Ban Will Never Pass
The overlap between committee assignments and stock ownership is not automatically illegal. Because the current legal framework permits this proximity as long as disclosure rules are followed, lawmakers are not operating under a system that forces change....
20 Feb, 2026
-
4 min read