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RobertPodolnjak
TheConsfitufion,theElectoralCollege,
andtheAmericanConceptofDemocracy
–aViewfromEurope
Introducfion
TeElectoralCollegeisundoubtedlythemostuniqueand,atthesametime,
oneofthemostcriticizedandcontroversialofallAmericanpoliticalinstitu-
tions.Aferthepresidentialelectionof2000andtheinitiationoftheNational
PopularVoteInterstateCompactin2006,theElectoralCollegeisagaininthe
centreofpoliticalandscholarlyattentionintheUnitedStatesandabroad.
InmorethantwohundredyearsofitshistorytheElectoralCollegehas
broughttheU.S.tothebrinkofaconstitutionalcrisisorevenbreakdown
onmorethanoneoccasion.Teconstitutionalcrisisaferthe2000election
showedinadrasticwaythateventheoldestconstitutionaldemocracyinthe
world,withdevelopedconstitutionalcultureanddedicatedtotheruleoflaw,
couldcometoaconstitutionallyverydangeroussituation,whentheactsand
decisionsofcertainactorscouldbeconsideredundemocratic,illegitimate,
andsubversivetotheconstitutionalorder,orevenlabeledasaCconstitutional
coup)(Ackerman2001:3).
OfthemanyoriginalmotivesoftheFoundersfortheCinvention)ofthe
ElectoralCollegeasanalternativetothedirectelectionofthepresident,there
ishardlyonethatisstillrelevanttoday.Teforemostamongthemwere:
–thelackofnationwidecommunicationwhichwouldmakepossibleapres-
identialcampaigninallstates,
–greatdińerencesinthesuńrageinseveralstates,especiallythewidersuf-
frageinthenorthernstatesinrelationtothesouthernstates(slaveshad
nosuńrage),
–theconvictionoftheFramers(oratleastasignificantpartofthem)that
inthenearfuturetherewouldbenocandidatesofnationalprominence,
whowouldbeknowntothevotersacrosstheUnitedStates,