James Madison observed in Federalist 10 that the new Constitution would establish the United States as a republic, not a democracy. More than two centuries later, we remain a constitutional republic. One man, one vote is the controlling principle, but political outcomes may not always be imposed by majority rule. Still, after this year s election, political scientists will renew their episodic demand that we move toward a purer form of democracy by replacing our electoral system with a popular vote. We must resist that temptation.
Popular voting promotes sectionalism.
It favors cities over rural areas, and large states over small. Popular voting also increases the number and influence of marginal political parties. That means expensive and time-consuming runoff elections, or a willingness to abide by results that might be favored by a small minority of voters. The answer is no, for two reasons. First, the Florida imbroglio was less a matter of federalism than it was a struggle between the political and judicial branches of state government.