Sholeh: Elections: Americans favor systemic change
Have you voted yet?
Whatever today brings, change may be on a not-so-distant horizon. A slew of 2023-24 studies by the respected nonpartisan, nonprofit think-tank Pew Research Center suggest that a disenfranchised American electorate would like to reduce what they perceive as barriers to a government that better represents them.
1. Electoral college: Majority of Americans favor dumping it.
The electoral college process was created in the U.S. Constitution to (in part) balance presidential election influence of larger states against that of smaller states. Some say its time has passed, now that people move easily and American characteristics are vastly different from the 18th century.
Two-thirds of U.S. adults (65%) say the process should be changed so the winner of the popular vote actually wins the presidency. Since 1789, the people’s choice has lost the White House only five times. Because the last two were quite recent, it’s become a popular discussion topic.
In 2000 and 2016 respectively, G.W. Bush and Donald Trump secured enough electoral college votes to win the presidency, after losing the popular vote to their opponents. The last time it had happened was when President Harrison won the same way in 1888.
2. Political parties: Adults under 50 are twice as likely as seniors to favor more of them.
Increasingly dissatisfied with both major parties, younger and middle-aged adults would like to see more options. In some European countries, for example, multiparty systems include four or more which align with particular issues or policies, or with different degrees of conservative or progressive.
Nearly half (48%) of U.S. adults aged 30 to 49 say they often wish there were more political parties. That compares with a third of those aged 50 to 64, and just 21% of those 65 and older.
3. Money: Most Americans think it has too much influence on politics.
American adults overwhelmingly (85%) say the cost of campaigning makes it too hard for good people to run for office. Seventy-two percent favor legal limits on how much individuals and organizations can spend on political campaigns, to reduce outsize influence on policy. And 73% say lobbyists and special interest groups have too much influence. Just 11% say anyone should be able to spend or donate as much as they want for a single candidate.
To learn more about these and other studies, click “research topics” at pewresearch.org.
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Sholeh Patrick, J.D. is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network. Email sholeh@cdapress.com.