As monuments to the legacy of slavery are dismantled across the U.S., it’s time to dismantle the institutional monument to slavery called the Electoral College. This strange system grew from compromises that were made so that southern states would ratify the Constitution. The south was permitted to count each slave as three-fifths of a white person in calculating how many representatives they would have in the House, and, consequently, votes in the Electoral College. This antiquated system ensures that voters in less populous states carry greater “weight” than those in more populous states. For instance, one analysis calculates that voters in Wyoming have three times more clout than the average citizen, while New Jersey is slightly below the average.

FiveThirtyEight estimates Joe Biden’s chances of carrying New Jersey at 98 in 100. If that happens, it would be the eighth time in a row that all of New Jersey’s electoral votes go to the Democratic candidate. Shouldn’t Republican votes count, too? As we try to address the issue of racism in our country, it is time to dismantle the Electoral College and create a system that represents a country that no longer compromises when it comes to the rights of all who live here.