Rep. Jamie Raskin on Sunday said that the Electoral College “has become a danger” to American democracy while speaking on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” He noted that the Electoral College has led to a President who did not win the popular vote five times in the history of the country. He added that two of those times were in this century which further proves that this “has become a danger.”
Raskin also noted that the American president should be elected in the same way that other officials, governors, representatives and senators are elected.
Raskin added that the Electoral college was “a danger on January 6th.” Raskin was a member of the House select committee responsible for the investigations into the Jan. 6 Capitol riots. He noted that there are many places where the Electoral College allows “opportunities for a lot of strategic mischief.”
The Electoral College was originally created by the Founding Fathers in the U.S. Constitution, however, the Electoral Count Act of 1887 has outlined how the system works for the past century. Many who advocate for the existing system say that individual states gain more importance during national elections through this system.
Changes to the Electoral Count Act were a part of the omnibus spending bill passed by the House and Senate last week. These changes further clarify the Electoral Count Act and block any future attempts to overturn elections in the way that then-President Donald Trump and his allies had attempted to do after the 2020 presidential election.
Raskin noted that while he supported the reforms, he did not believe that they were sufficient.
