A Case for South Sudan’s Electoral College: A Solution to Tribalism and Marginalization
By Gizam Moses
In this article, I will explore how the U.S. Electoral College system operates within a democratic framework, and how its principles could help South Sudan combat tribalism, regionalism, and the marginalization of smaller communities.
The Electoral College consists of presidential electors selected according to the number of representatives each state has in both the Congress and the Senate, including the District of Columbia. These electors form what is known as State Congressional Delegations.
In the U.S., the legislature is divided into the Senate as the upper house and the House of Representatives as the lower house. South Sudan’s equivalent is the Council of State as the upper house and the National Legislative Assembly as the lower house. In total, the U.S. Legislature has 535 Electoral College votes plus 3 votes for the District of Columbia, making a total of 538.
To become President of the United States, a candidate must win the majority of states to obtain the Electoral College votes allocated to each state. Specifically, a candidate must secure a simple majority of 270 out of the 538 Electoral College votes. Once elections are concluded, the 538 electors convene in Washington to elect the President based on the votes from their respective states. Each candidate collects all the Electoral College votes from the states they won in the general election to reach the necessary threshold of 270.
How can this system eliminate tribalism and marginalization while promoting equality and progress in all the states of South Sudan?
First, regardless of a state’s population size, it is assigned a limited number of Electoral College votes. For instance, if South Sudan’s constitution adopts a total of 288 Electoral College votes for its 10 states and 3 administrative areas, with a simple majority set at 150, a specific state, such as Central Equatoria, could be allocated 20 Electoral College votes. Thus, regardless of its population, a presidential candidate winning that state would be limited to those 20 votes in the presidential election.
To secure the 150 Electoral College votes needed for a simple majority, a candidate must engage with all smaller communities across the various states and administrative areas. They would need to adopt policies and programs that address the needs of these communities to win their votes and Electoral College votes.
In this system, tribal majority would not determine who becomes President. Regardless of tribal or regional population sizes, popular votes from any particular group alone would not be sufficient to secure the presidency due to the fixed number of Electoral College votes. Candidates from Unity, Lakes, Jonglei, Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Western Equatoria, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Upper Nile, and Warrap State must seek votes from all states and administrative areas to obtain the necessary Electoral College votes.
We often lament that tribalism is destroying us. This system could effectively diminish tribalism and shift the narrative from “We brought you” to one of genuine representation for minorities.
