UW-Whitewater professor to discuss Electoral College
Four area libraries will present Dr. Eric Loepp, of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, in a current events conversation at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 7, in the Fireside Room at The Ridge Hotel, W4240 Highway 50, Lake Geneva.
In two of the last five presidential elections, the candidate with the most votes did not become president. Such outcomes are counterintuitive: in a democratic system, why wouldn’t the majority rule? It turns out there is a reason and rationale behind the Electoral College that determines the winner in American presidential elections, but it is coming under increased scrutiny in recent years.
Loepp, assistant professor of political science at UW-Whitewater, will talk about the Electoral College: why it exists, how it affects campaigns and elections, what the alternatives are, and how history might have been different had another system been in place in 2000 or 2016. He will also address the questions of whether the public can expect change anytime soon and if eliminating the Electoral College could lead to a stronger democracy.
For more information, contact any of the hosting libraries:
- Aram Public Library, 262-728-3111;
- Barrett Memorial Library, 262-245-2709;
- Fontana Public Library, 262-275-5107; and
- Lake Geneva Public Library, 262-249-5299;
- Matheson Memorial Library: 262-723-2678.