The Electoral College and Voter Participation Rates: Reply

This theoretical note argues that although both gross costs and possible gross benefits from the Electoral College can be identified, they cannot be compared in such a way as to generate a case that the Electoral College yields net benefits to society. In other words, the Electoral College system, pure and simple, artificially distorts behavior in a market where household preferences are to intended be expressed; although this distortion yields apparent benefits and costs, the existence of net benefits is not established. In sum, since the Electoral College system artificially distorts geographic voter participation rate patterns, the case needs to be made w y the system should be retained.