One of the few presidents to lose the popular vote but win an election was George W. Bush and Donald Trump. Many people have begun to question the value and fairness of the electoral college. If the majority of Americans votes for a candidate or policy, why should smaller States have the ability to overthrow what the majority wants?

It is indefensible that the Electoral College was purposed to keep slavery. The majority of Americans thought slavery was immoral. However, southern states did not want other states to dictate what was morally right. Therefore, black people were treated as less than human because of their ethnicity.

Nevertheless, if California rules that all bathrooms must be gender-neutral, there are several states that would not want this. I’m sure some states would vehemently say, “Boys and girls should not be in the same locker rooms or toilets within public spaces. California should have no impact on my belief system in Georgia.”

Were the founders right about the Electoral College? Is the electoral college a legitimate process for governing?

George W. Bush made a statement after he won the presidency but lost the popular vote. He said, “If we won elections by popular vote, my campaign would have looked totally different. There would have been no reason for me to campaign in smaller states. I would have only campaigned in Texas, Florida, California, and New York.” Did President Bush unknowingly identify how the electoral college hurts our witness for Christ?

Most of our missional activity for Christ is in very specific areas of the US. In most of the Northeast, Northwest, and parts of the West, our witness for Christ is dying. The North American Mission Board estimates that in some parts of the US there is only 1 church for every 20,000 people. Why? We are comfortable in our religious pockets. Most Evangelicals don’t care what happens in Oregon, New York, and California. Let’s protect our values.

However, if California affected Alabama, I believe we would be far more evangelistic in our actions. People may actually move to specific parts of the country for missions. Folks may even plan mission trips to other parts of the country to for the purpose of disciple-making. The Electoral College may be the root cause of little to know missional Activity in our Judea and Samaria. The elimination of the Electoral College would eventually force people to be more mission-minded by influencing the values of other parts of our country. It addition, the end result would be a more “united” United States because it would not be their states values versus my states values.

When I planted Connect Church in Atlanta, a big reason for coming back home was because it was home. Nevertheless, my whole life has been conditioned for my state, my area, and my hood. Was the electoral college made to keep the US less united? Is the Electoral College making the church less missional? Yes and yes! Maybe not intentionally but yes. The people of South Carolina are not saying, “We must spread the gospel to un-reached parts of our own country.” States like these are saying “keep that mess out of our state” or “go home Yankee.”

I think the retirement of the electoral college will actually cause more missional activity across our country. In addition, the United States will be more United.

There are almost no modernized countries across the world that have an electoral college. India is the closest but it’s system really supports a caste system that connects to Hindu religion that is made to keep the affluent in power.

Can you imagine seeing the lostness of the northwest and other major cities across our country and then strategizing  missional activity around this? Can you imagine a State saying I don’t agree wholly with what this other state is doing but for the sake of unity let’s not fight? The electoral college enables division, supremacy, and lesser missional activity. We are long overdue for retiring this antiquated system.

Please add your comments and thoughts below!

Tez Andrews, ThM