Document Type

Honors Thesis

Publication Date

Spring 5-2018

Abstract

This research project investigates the thoughts and opinions of the University of Maine faculty and undergraduate students regarding the Electoral College system. I chose to collect this information through an online survey of twenty questions that I created on the software, Qualtrics, and sent it to the various classes and faculty who gave approval. Once I got a sufficient number of results, it was then time to analyze it all. Overall, my results were mostly what I had predicted; most undergraduates and faculty are in favor of replacing the Electoral College with either a direct popular voting system or a candidate ranking system. More than half of my respondents claim to know at least some information about the Electoral College and are opposed to it. A majority of respondents who voted chose Hillary Clinton, though there were a large number of respondents who simply did not vote at all and also claim to not know much about the Electoral College. However, more men than women claim to feel confident in such knowledge and are more in favor of the system. In a concise introduction, literature review, methodology, data analysis, and conclusion, I explore each and every one of my survey results as well as give an extensive overview of the history and purpose of the Electoral College and the various impacts it has had on America and its people over the past two centuries, concluding with possible solutions to better educate Americans as a whole regarding this highly debated, controversial system.

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