If you think it’s a problem that seven “swing” states get more attention from presidential campaigns than the other 43 states combined, don’t blame the Electoral College system. Blame the other 43 states.
Each state has the power, with simple legislation, to fix its status as a political afterthought. No approval is needed from anyone outside the state.
Even better, if a number of states make such changes in their own self-interest, the national good also will be served. The fix is relatively easy: Most states should jettison their winner-take-all systems of allocating electors. More on which, shortly.
First, start with a civics lesson. The Electoral College was designed as a wise hedge against a purely majoritarian republic. By emphasizing votes filtered through special “electors” chosen state by state rather than in a national plebiscite, the nation’s…
