Electoral college

Last updated

An electoral college is a body whose task is to elect a candidate to a particular office. It is mostly used in the political context for a constitutional body that appoints the head of state or government, and sometimes the upper parliamentary chamber, in a democracy. Its members, called electors, are either elected by the people for this purpose (making the whole process an indirect election) or by certain subregional entities or social organizations.

Contents

If a constituent body that is not only summoned for this particular task, like a parliament, elects or appoints certain officials, it is not referred to as "electoral college" (see e.g. parliamentary system). Also, other appointing bodies (like committees appointing judges, as in Canada or Germany) normally do not fall into this definition.

Examples

United States

The United States Electoral College is the only remaining electoral college in democracies where an executive president (i.e. a head of state who is also head of government) is indirectly elected via an electoral college. [1] [2] The other democracies that used an electoral college for these elections switched to direct elections in the 19th or 20th century. [3] :215

The electoral college is argued to be fundamental to American federalism, based on the notion that it requires candidates for President to appeal to voters in all states, or a substantial portion of states, rather than only those with large population which might hold greater power in elections based on simple majority. Federalist No. 68, probably written by Alexander Hamilton, argued in favor of the Electoral College by stating:

Talents for low intrigue, and the little arts of popularity, may alone suffice to elevate a man to the first honors in a single State; but it will require other talents, and a different kind of merit, to establish him in the esteem and confidence of the whole Union, or of so considerable a portion of it as would be necessary to make him a successful candidate for the distinguished office of President of the United States.

Another argument states that the Electoral College prevents a tyranny of the majority that would ignore the less densely populated heartland and rural states in favor of the mega-cities. [4]

Criticism

More resolutions have been submitted to amend the U.S. Electoral College mechanism than any other part of the constitution. [5] Since 1800, over 700 proposals to reform or eliminate the system have been introduced in Congress. Proponents of these proposals argued that the electoral college system does not provide for direct democratic election, affords less-populous states an advantage, and allows a candidate to win the presidency without winning the most votes. None of these proposals has received the approval of two thirds of Congress and three fourths of the states required to amend the Constitution. [6] Ziblatt and Levitsky argue that America has by far the most difficult constitution to amend, which is why reform efforts have only stalled in America. [7]

India

The President of India is indirectly elected by the Indian Electoral College consisting of the elected members of the Parliament of India and the legislative assemblies of the states and union territories.

Germany

The German Bundesversammlung has no other purpose than to elect the Federal President of Germany. It is composed half by the members of the Bundestag and half by representatives delegated by the state parliaments.

Italy

The President of Italy is elected by an electoral college which comprises both chambers of the Italian Parliament meeting in joint session, combined with 58 special electors appointed by the regional councils of the 20 regions of Italy.

Holy See

The Pope, head of the Catholic Church, the Holy See and the Vatican State, is elected by the Papal conclave consisting of all Cardinals.

France

While the President of France is directly elected, the Senate is indirectly elected by collèges électoraux in the French regions. They consist of 150,000 delegates, known as the grands électeurs, who are mainly appointed by municipal councillors.

Historic examples

The following examples are of electoral colleges used by democracies or dictatorships that were replaced by other mechanisms of election like direct elections during periods of democratisation.

Americas

Before 1840, all presidents in Latin America were indirectly elected by legislatures or electoral colleges. [8] :202

Argentina

Argentina had the longest lasting electoral college in South America, used to elect its president and vice president, and national senators starting with the 1853 Constitution [9] and lasting mostly until the 1994 constitutional amendment. There were a few exceptions, due to political instability in the 20th century, in which non-lasting reforms removed or suspended the electoral college. For example, the 1949 peronist amendment promoted by President Juan Perón which replaced it with direct elections by popular vote used in the 1951 and 1954 elections. After the Revolución Libertadora the 1957 constitutional convention repealed the 1949 constitutional amendment and the electoral college was reestablished from the 1958 general election.

The March 1973 and September 1973 general elections used a two-round direct election by popular vote system which was established by the outgoing military junta, which decreed in 1972 an illegal 'temporary constitutional reform' which was supposed to be later ratified by an elected constitutional convetion which never happened and therefore expired.The elections between 1983 and 1993 used again the electoral college. The constitution was then amended by a wide consensus for the last time in 1994 and the electoral college was finally replaced with a modified two-round direct elections by popular vote system in use since 1995. [10]

Brazil

Brazil's military dictatorship chose its president by an electoral college starting in 1964 comprising senators, deputies, state deputies, and lawmakers in the cities. The electoral college was replaced with a two-round system direct election in 1989, after the end of the military dictatorship and the establishment of a new constitution in 1988 leading to the restoration of democracy. [10]

Other cases

Colombia used an electoral college which was eliminated in 1910. [8] :205

Paraguay had an electoral college that was established by the 1870 Constitution, which was used to elect its president. The constitution was replaced in 1940 and the electoral college was replaced with direct elections by popular vote since 1943. [10]

Chile had an electoral college established by the 1828 Constitution, which was used to elect its president in the elections from 1829 to 1920. The constitution was amended in 1925 and the electoral college was replaced with direct elections by popular vote since 1925. [10] Also, the Regional Councils were elected until 2009 by provincial electoral colleges composed with communal councillors of local governments in each province [11] ; since 2013 the regional councillors are elected by popular vote.

Uruguay had until 1918 one electoral college for every department, each one of them had 15 members and elected the senator that would represent that department in the upper chamber of parliament.

Europe

Norway, from 1814-1905, used regional electoral colleges to elect legislators to the Storting, before switching to direct elections. [8] :199-201

France had its president elected by the legislature from 1875 to 1954. The first presidential election of the Fifth Republic which elected Charles de Gaulle was the only presidential election where the winner was determined via an electoral college. [10] The electoral college was replaced after the 1962 referendum, with direct elections by popular vote, using a two-round system since 1965.

Finland had an electoral college for the country's president from 1925 to 1988, except 1944 (exception law), 1946 (parliament) and 1973 (extended term by exception law). The electoral college was replaced by direct elections (consisting of two-round voting) in 1994. [12]

In Spain , during the Second Republic period (1931–1936–39) the president was elected by an electoral college comprising the Parliament members and an equal number of democratically elected members ("compromisarios").[ citation needed ]

The Holy Roman Empire also had an electoral college to choose its ruler.

Asia

Republic of China (1947–1996)

The President of the Republic of China was elected by the National Assembly of the Republic of China from 1948 until 1996 when democratization resulted in direct elections. The National Assembly had the similar function of electoral college except it had the power to amend the Constitution. The People's Republic of China in the mainland today elects both the President and the Premier by the National People's Congress every five years similar to the National Assembly.[ citation needed ]

South Korean dictatorships (1972-1981)

During South Korea's dictatorships of the Fourth and Fifth Republics from 1972 until 1981, the president was elected by an electoral college until democratization resulted in direct elections starting in 1987. Additionally, during the Fourth Republic, one-third of members of the National Assembly were nominally elected by the same electoral college which elected the president, though in practice they were appointed by the president. [13]

Africa

Apartheid South Africa (1961-1983)

In apartheid-era South Africa from 1961 to 1983, the state president of South Africa was appointed by all the members of the House of Assembly of South Africa and the Senate of South Africa. [14] After the adoption of the 1983 Constitution, the new House of Assembly, House of Representatives, and House of Delegates would designate 50, 25, and 13 of their members to the electoral college respectively. [15] The electoral college would disappear along with the apartheid government, with the president of South Africa being elected by the South African Parliament in 1994, which is still the method of election to this day.[ citation needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of Zimbabwe</span>

The politics of Zimbabwe occurs in a society deeply divided along lines of race, ethnicity, gender and geography. The ZANU–PF party has historically been dominant in Zimbabwe politics. The party, which was led by Robert Mugabe from 1980 to 2017, has used the powers of the state to intimidate, imprison and otherwise hobble political opposition in Zimbabwe, as well as use state funds and state media to advance the interests of the party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Electoral College</span> Electors of the U.S. president and vice president

In the United States, the Electoral College is the group of presidential electors that is formed every four years during the presidential election for the sole purpose of voting for the president and vice president. The process is described in Article Two of the Constitution. The number of electoral votes exercised by each state is equal to that state's congressional delegation which is the number of Senators (two) plus the number of Representatives for that state. Each state appoints electors using legal procedures determined by its legislature. Federal office holders, including senators and representatives, cannot be electors. Additionally, the Twenty-third Amendment granted the federal District of Columbia three electors. A simple majority of electoral votes is required to elect the president and vice president. If no candidate achieves a majority, a contingent election is held by the House of Representatives, to elect the president, and by the Senate, to elect the vice president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Direct democracy</span> Form of democracy

Direct democracy or pure democracy is a form of democracy in which the electorate decides on policy initiatives without elected representatives as proxies. This differs from the majority of currently established democracies, which are representative democracies. The theory and practice of direct democracy and participation as its common characteristic constituted the core of the work of many theorists, philosophers, politicians, and social critics, among whom the most important are Jean-Jacques Rousseau, John Stuart Mill, and G.D.H. Cole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Assembly (Republic of China)</span> 1947–2005 electoral college and constitutional convention in the East Asian country

The National Assembly was the authoritative legislative body of the Republic of China, from 1947 to 2005. Along with the Control Yuan and the Legislative Yuan, the National Assembly formed the tricameral parliament of the Republic of China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">President of Burundi</span> Head of state of Burundi

The president of Burundi, officially the President of the Republic, is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Burundi. The president is also commander-in-chief of the National Defence Force. The office of the presidency was established when Michel Micombero declared Burundi a republic on 28 November 1966. The first constitution to specify the powers and duties of the president was the constitution of 1974 adopted in 1976. The constitution, written by Micombero, affirmed Micombero's position as the first president of Burundi. The powers of the president currently derive from the 2005 constitution implemented as a result of the 2000 Arusha Accords after the Burundian Civil War. The current president since 18 June 2020 is Évariste Ndayishimiye.

Direct election is a system of choosing political officeholders in which the voters directly cast ballots for the persons or political party that they wanted to see elected. The method by which the winner or winners of a direct election are chosen depends upon the electoral system used. The most commonly used systems are the plurality system and the two-round system for single-winner elections, such as a presidential election, and proportional representation for the election of a legislature or executive.

An indirect election or hierarchical voting, is an election in which voters do not choose directly among candidates or parties for an office, but elect people who in turn choose candidates or parties. It is one of the oldest forms of elections and is used by many countries for heads of state, cabinets, heads of government, and/or upper houses. It is also used for some supranational legislatures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Presidential election</span> Election of head of state who is President

A presidential election is the election of any head of state whose official title is President.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elections in France</span>

France is a unitary semi-presidential republic with a bicameral legislature. Public officials in the legislative and executive branches are either elected by the citizens or appointed by elected officials. Referenda may also be called to consult the French citizenry directly on a particular question, especially one which concerns amendment to the Constitution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elections in Angola</span>

Elections in Angola take place within the framework of a multi-party democracy. The National Assembly is directly elected by voters, while the leader of the party or coalition with the most seats in the National Assembly automatically becomes President.

The Constitution of Finland is the supreme source of national law of Finland. It defines the basis, structures and organisation of government, the relationship between the different constitutional organs, and lays out the fundamental rights of Finnish citizens, and individuals in general. The original Constitution Act was enacted in 1919, soon after Finland declared its independence in 1917. The current draft of the Constitution came into force on 1 March 2000.

The Senate was the upper house of the Parliament of South Africa between 1910 and its abolition from 1 January 1981, and between 1994 and 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Senate (Burundi)</span>

The Senate is the upper chamber of Parliament in Burundi. It consists of between 39 and 56 members who serve 5-year terms. The current Senate was elected on 20 July 2020 and consists of 39 members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Senate of Zimbabwe</span> Upper house of the Parliament of Zimbabwe

The Senate of Zimbabwe is the upper of the two chambers in Zimbabwe's Parliament. It existed from independence in 1980 until 1989, and was re-introduced in November 2005. The other chamber of Parliament is the National Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1962 French presidential election referendum</span>

A referendum on the method of the election of the president was held in France on 28 October 1962. The question was whether to have the President of the French Republic elected by direct popular vote, rather than by an electoral college. It was approved by 62.3% of voters with a 77.0% turnout. The reform was controversial because it strengthened the executive at the expense of Parliament, and because of the disputed constitutionality of the procedure used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Constitution of Angola</span> National Constitution of the Republic of Angola

Since its independence from Portugal in 1975, Angola has had three constitutions. The first came into force in 1975 as an "interim" measure; the second was approved in a 1992 referendum, and the third one was instituted in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1985 Brazilian presidential election</span>

Presidential elections were held in Brazil on 15 January 1985, the last to be held indirectly through an electoral college, and the last to be held under the military regime. The electoral college system was put in place so that the military elite that controlled the government could secure the election of the candidate chosen by the High Command of the Armed Forces as president. However, in 1985, due to the process of negotiated transition to democracy that started in the late 1970s, the politicians in the electoral college were placed under no coercion, and were allowed to choose the president of their choice.

The Constitution of 1962 was the fundamental law of Republic of Pakistan from 8 June 1962 until martial law was declared in 25 March 1969. It was abrogated on 25 March 1969 by President Yahya Khan.

The Constitution of 1961 was the fundamental law of South Africa for two decades. Under the terms of the constitution South Africa left the Commonwealth and became a republic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Democratic backsliding in the United States</span> Periods of democratic decline in the U.S.

Democratic backsliding in the United States has been identified as a trend at the state and national levels in various indices and analyses. Democratic backsliding is "a process of regime change towards autocracy that makes the exercise of political power more arbitrary and repressive and that restricts the space for public contestation and political participation in the process of government selection".

References

  1. Ziblatt, Daniel; Levitsky, Steven (5 September 2023). "How American Democracy Fell So Far Behind". The Atlantic. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  2. Collin, Richard Oliver; Martin, Pamela L. (1 January 2012). An Introduction to World Politics: Conflict and Consensus on a Small Planet. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 244. ISBN   9781442218031.
  3. Levitsky, Steven; Ziblatt, Daniel (2023). Tyranny of the Minority: why American democracy reached the breaking point (First ed.). New York: Crown. ISBN   978-0-593-44307-1.
  4. Efforts to abolish the Electoral College will dilute the influence of nation’s rural states by Sid Salter, guest columnist for the Clarion Ledger (Jackson, MS), Dec. 2, 2020.
  5. Bolotnikova, Marina N. (6 July 2020). "Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College?". Harvard Magazine .
  6. Neale, Thomas H.; Nolan, Andrew (28 October 2019). The National Popular Vote (NPV) Initiative: Direct Election of the President by Interstate Compact (PDF) (Report). Washington, D.C.: Congressional Research Service . Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  7. Levitsky, Steven; Ziblatt, Daniel (2023). "Chapter 7". Tyranny of the Minority: why American democracy reached the breaking point (First ed.). New York: Crown. ISBN   978-0-593-44307-1.
  8. 1 2 3 Levitsky, Steven; Ziblatt, Daniel (2023). Tyranny of the Minority: why American democracy reached the breaking point (First ed.). New York: Crown. ISBN   978-0-593-44307-1.
  9. The Constitution of Argentina of 1853, 32nd to 63rd Articles – Retrieved 16 January 2015
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Ziblatt, Daniel; Levitsky, Steven (5 September 2023). "How American Democracy Fell So Far Behind". The Atlantic. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  11. "Ley 19.097 - Modifica la constitucion politica de la republica en materia de gobiernos regionales y administracion comunal" [Act 19.097 - Constitution Reform in Regional Government an Local Administration.]. Ley Chile - National Congress of Chile Library (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  12. Isotalus, Pekka (2001). "Presidential Campaigning in Finland and Americanization". World Communication. 30 (2): 13.
  13. Kim, Sunhyuk (2010). "Collaborative Governance in South Korea: Citizen Participation in Policy Making and Welfare Service Provision". Asian Perspective. 34 (3): 166. ISSN   0258-9184.
  14. Africa, enacted the Parliament of South. Republic of South Africa Constitution Act, 1961.
  15. Africa, enacted the Parliament of South. Republic of South Africa Constitution Act, 1983.