Voting Reform Today

Since the complications counting ballots for the 2001 presidential election, both voters and the media have shown increased interest in the issue of exactly how we elect our presidents. Three areas have received close scrutiny either since that election. Two issues received serious scrutiny before the election: the Electoral College system and campaign finance. Since November of 2001, the actual method of casting one's vote has been closely looked at as well.

Two senators, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Mien Spector, announced that they would sponsor legislation designed to eliminate the Electoral College, where the president is actually voted in by representatives from each state, to a direct popular vote, where all the votes from all voters are tallied into one number, and the victor becomes President. While all voters easily understand the second approach, the Electoral College system gives more ability to influence the outcome of the...
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