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Lawrence Lessig: It's Time To Reform The Electoral College

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The results of the 2016 presidential election prompted many Americans to question the electoral college – a winner-takes-all system which empowers a group of 538 electors to name the next president of the United States.

Equal representation, citizen-funded elections and equal access to the ballot are the three actionable steps towards change, suggests Equal Citizens, a nonprofit founded by renowned law professor Lawrence Lessig

Two lawsuits citing the14th Amendment – one in a largely Republican state on behalf of Democrats and another in a majority Democratic state on behalf of Republicans – arguing that the current system disenfranchises voters, could be an effective legal strategy to spark reform.   

Will a more "equal" system for presidential elections encourage citizens to exercise their right to vote? Can reform be debated and implemented before the 2020 cycle? 

Guest: Lawrence Lessig, Roy L. Furman Professor of Law and Leadership at Harvard University and founder of the non-profit Equal Citizens

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Jan Ross Piedad Sakian is TPR’s News Operations Producer. In this role, she develops strategy on collaborative and digital initiatives for the station. Since 2016, Jan Ross has served in a coordinating capacity for TPR’s state and national partners, including The Texas Newsroom.