Module 6. Essay 5. Does the presidential election process work?

Assignment

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Every four years, we engage in a year-long presidential election contest to select the President of the United States.  The list below gives you a few criteria or standards that you might use to judge the performance of an electoral process….

· Does the process produce good candidates?

· Does the process produce real, distinct alternatives for voters to choose from?

· Is the process fair?

· Does the process produce a clear winner?

· Does the process encourage participation?

· Does the produce good leaders?

· Is the outcome legitimate – in the sense that we collectively believe that the winner has the right to govern the country?

In a brief, 350-word essay, respond to the following questions as they relate to the above criteria:

1. Which of these criteria are the two or three most important we should use to assess our electoral process? Why?  Are there other criteria that we should use to evaluate the process that are not on the list above (for instance: entertaining, short, open to any qualified candidate)?  (Do not focus on the Electoral College, but consider the broad process from start to finish)

1. Using the two or three criteria you pick, would you conclude that that the electoral process “works” or that it is flawed?   Be specific and give details.

1. Based on the criteria you pick, do you have any immediate ideas for improvement?

Submit your completed essay to the dropbox for Essay 5.