Electoral College & Its Unintended Consequences

Description

The 2020 Presidential Election has created renewed attention on the Electoral College which has been the subject of much discussion and several attempts to replace it.

This public meeting will examine what the Electoral College is, why it was established, the impact it has on our democracy and its unintended consequences.

“The Electoral College can and has affected both parties. It’s a nonpartisan issue. 2016 was not the first or second time but the fifth time that the elected President did not win a majority of citizens’ votes. There’s a lot of misconceptions about who and what interests the system protects, and how it impacts voter turnout and political polarization, “ comments Jerrie Champlin, the organizer of the League event.

The meeting will feature a presentation from the League of Women Voters of Illinois Issue Committee which has spearheaded the League’s efforts to educate the public about the Electoral College. Part of the League’s core mission is to promote the informed and active participation of citizens in government, and Rosemary Heilemann, LWVIL Issue & Advocacy Co-Chair, believes that the League “should shed light on a voting system that is antiquated and confusing. It comes down to the concept of one person, one vote.”