New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) called for a constitutional amendment to abolish the Electoral College, calling it an “outdated system that distorts the democratic process.”
During her remarks at the state Electoral College proceedings in Albany on Tuesday, Hochul said she wants the country to shift to a direct popular vote for the presidency.
“We, the people, forming a more perfect union, and I strongly believe that the people of New York state and the United States of America, should and must have their votes count equally, and that the popular vote should prevail,” the Governor said as she presided over proceedings of the New York state Electoral College in Albany.
Hochul argued that the Electoral College gives less populated states an advantage in picking the president.
“It’s time to amend the Constitution and relegate the institution of the Electoral College to the history books,” Hochul said. “Unfairly, less populated states have outsized influence, and, in effect, the votes of their residents count more than the residents of a state like New York.”
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She added that “this convoluted process also leads candidates for president to spend an inordinate amount of time in a few swing states, rather than appealing to the voters of our entire country.”
“And in the worst case scenario, it means that a person can become president of the United States, even if he or she did not win the popular vote. Something I recall as I sat in this room, right there, next to President Bill Clinton when we were both electors in 2016,” Hochul said.
The origins of the Electoral College are rooted in a compromise known as the Great Compromise, which aimed to balance the interests of large and small states by establishing a bicameral legislature: the Senate, which ensures equal representation for each state, and the House of Representatives, which varies by population, according to U.S. Constitution.net. This arrangement carries over to presidential elections, where each state receives electors equal to its total Congressional delegation, bolstering the political weight of smaller states.
While the Electoral College has been criticized for various reasons, including its potential to override the popular vote, it was created to provide a buffer against the direct election of the president by the populace.
Hochul’s remarks come as Senate Democrats earlier this week unveiled a constitutional amendment to abolish the Electoral College system.
Sens. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii,) Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) co-authored the proposed amendment.
“In an election, the person who gets the most votes should win. It’s that simple,” Schatz said. “No one’s vote should count for more based on where they live. The Electoral College is outdated and it’s undemocratic. It’s time to end it.”
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Thank you for this article. I PRAY IT GETS SHOT DOWN.
Hochuls idea is as stupid, and ugly as she is. Did this dummy sleep through Civics class? The Electoral College is the only way non coastal, and non border states get a voice in operating our Constitutional Republic.
First of all, Bah Humbug to this governor. I suggest that if people like her are asking for the electoral vote, as it is today, be done away with then there should be another amendment written that says all large population states should be divided into smaller states so the right to have voter’s votes counted will be more equal. You know, like they do to counties now to equal things only on a much larger scale.
The democrat party is outdated and undemocratic. B’bye.
Now that the Democrats lost the Election, they want to change the Electoral process. Go Figure!!
It’s natural that Gov. Hochul would like to eliminate the Electoral College. That would then allow New York, California, Massachusetts, Michigan and Illinois to elect the President by themselves. The founders of our country and framers of our Constitution knew what they were doing to prevent just that.
Here is another politician that thinks they can do whatever they want by just getting a democratic mob rule vote on an issue. She is a perfect example of why politicians should have to take a civics and American government test before they can run for office. If Governor Hochul had ever bothered to read the U.S. Constitution she would realize what she is proposing can’t be done with a bill or with a mob rule vote to dismantle the Electoral College. The first thing you discover is that the Electoral College is mandated by the Constitution. Therefore getting rid of it would require a Constitutional amendment. Here’s a reminder for those that think getting a bill to remove it or having a vote where the populace vote to have it abolished are ways that can get rid of it. Here’s what it takes to amend the Constitution, it is a little more daunting than the forementioned ways the liberals dream of removing the college. To amend the Constitution one must first present the bill to amend the Constitution to both the house and the senate. Then both of these bodies must get 2/3rds of their members to vote for this amendment. When is the last time you saw that happen? Let’s say by some miracle you got this to happen. Then if that is the case the next obstacle is to get the amendment ratified. Oh yeah, the next step to amend the Constitution is you have to get 3/4ths of the state legislatures or 3/4ths of state conventions to ratify the amendment. Wow, how often has this happened. In fact after this last election I would say nearly 60% of the population is in favor of the college so getting 3/4ths of the legislatures to ratify this amendment at this time would appear to be a moot point. But that’s the problem with liberal politicians they think that if they can just stir up 51% of the populace that they can use the power of mob rule and therefore they can do what ever they want. Thank God our forefathers were smarter than the liberals of today.
The only thing outdated in the U.S. is the existing DIMocratic Party and the anti-American leaders of the party. It is not the party of yesteryear. The last 4 years of the DIMS in control prove that they cannot lead and care less about our citizens, the nation and/or the Constitution.
Leon Donahue