Campus Chronicle

Issue date: 11/3/08 Section: News

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The reality of the presidential election is hidden under the surface of voter rallies, advertising and gaudy t-shirts. It is amazing how during the months leading up to the presidential election, manufacturers and companies try to cash in on patriotism with such items as bobbleheads, apparel and cheesy replicas of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates plastered on Cabbage Patch Kids. How come we as American citizens, are so enthusiastic about these things when most of us do not know that our votes for
President do not count…technically.
Before you stop reading this article and begin to write a snide comment back to our publication, read the following. It is widely perceived that if we appear in the voting facilities in droves, we can put our favorite candidate in office. But the truth is if we continue to have this train of thought, we will continue to be disappointed when the media announces the president-elect. Instead of convincing ourselves, we should be convincing the representatives of the Electoral College.
The Electoral College consists of 538 representatives from all over the United States. They can make or break an election. In the context of discussing the Electoral College, one has to know the numbers that is involved in this difficult indirect election process. In order for a presidential candidate to succeed in garnering the title of President of the United States, he/she must have at least 270 votes from the Electoral College. A presidential candidate can have all of the popular votes from every citizen in the country and still lose the election if he/she does not have the majority support of the Electoral College. Another factor is the party majority in the Electoral College. If the party majority is Republican, the votes will reflect it and vice versa with Democrats. And in both times that George W. Bush has run for office, the Electoral College was majority Republican. You do the math.
It has been proven in many elections that the fate and the future of the United States lie in the hands of The Electoral College. For example, in the 2000 Presidential Election, presidential candidate Al Gore led the popular vote with 50,999,897 votes and George W. Bush lost by a mere 543,895 votes. But Bush claimed presidential victory of the Electoral College with 271 votes and Gore trailing behind with 267 votes. It was not the Florida scandal that put Bush into office. The Electoral College put Bush in office.
Now this newfound knowledge that you may have acquired should not hinder you from voting. I am still going to vote although I know the truth. Being an African-American, I know what my forefathers went through to be able to have their voices heard. And I believe that voting is a form of paying homage and respect to their struggle.
There is a way for you to change the Electoral College, by voting for every election. Do not go out and exercise your right to vote only because your friends are doing it or Usher tells you to vote. Vote for every position down to the local dogcatcher. Those votes do count. Also, when people are running for representatives from your state, research them and their beliefs, and vote for the one that best describes your beliefs. When you change what does not seem important, that is when you make a difference.

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