ANCHOR>> The system in which presidents are
voted into the White House is coming under
fire.
Time Warner Cable News reporter Tara Grimes
explains why some want to see the electoral
college abolished, and a national vote system
put into place.
REPORTER>> On Tuesday, Donald Trump won 279
electoral votes, more than the half needed
to become president-elect.
At last report, Hillary Clinton won the popular
vote by more than 200,000.
This is the fifth time in the nation’s history
where a president-elect won the electoral
vote, but not the popular vote.
BURNS>> It was really clear in this election
that no matter who won, there was going to
be at least 50 percent of the population who
was livid and at least 50 percent of the population
who was ecstatic.
REPORTER>> But now some are questioning the
system of the Electoral College.
Burns said our Founding Fathers put it into
place as a way to make sure people didn’t
vote in someone who wasn’t eligible or qualified
in a meaningful way.
BURNS>> So for example, if the people actually
decided to elect someone who wasn’t born
in the United States, than the Electoral College
could say ‘we have a problem here because
that person isn’t actually eligible.
CHURCH>> I think that’s a good system, and
it helps kind of clarify the election and
it helps break it down considering there are
so many votes and so many people in America.
But I do have to agree with them, that when
looking at the numbers, if one side votes
more that should probably be the final decider.
REPORTER>> RIT third-year student Ashley Kosak
also wants to see popular vote take over because
she feels it would represent the people’s
choice better.
But she admits it wouldn’t be easy.
Only a constitutional amendment could abolish
the Electoral College.
KOSAK>> I think that there will be a lot of
blowback if it does happen.
It’s not just something that’s going to
be changing overnight.
It’s going to be something that a lot of
people have to be involved in.
REPORTER>> Burns said while the Electoral
College has its issues, changing it to a popular
vote system would come with its own set of
problems, especially with representing rural
areas.
She said another possibility that could be
considered is awarding electoral votes proportionally
to the popular vote instead of having each
state a winner-takes all.
BURNS>> Because it’s winner take-all in
a lot of the states, except for Maine and
Nebraska, then it really means that once you
win a state you get a huge chunk of electoral
college votes.
So if you made it proportional that would
even things out a little bit more.
REPORTER>> While not likely, Burns said electors
could still change their vote on Dec. 19 when
they vote for president.
She said this has only happened eight times
in the last 115 years.
In Henrietta, Tara Grimes, Time Warner Cable
News.
