Comments on: If Not Perfect, At Least Excellent: The Electoral College http://blog.oup.com/2008/09/electoral_college/ Academic insights for the thinking world. Sun, 19 May 2013 15:31:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: jerry http://blog.oup.com/2008/09/electoral_college/#comment-147472 jerry Sun, 28 Sep 2008 15:37:53 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=2138#comment-147472 the man or woman who recieves the most votes from the people should win the election at least that way America actually puts into power who the majority really wants to run the country for the next 4 years. that is the only true way of what the people want not what a select few want. At least that way we really are a free to vote for who we think is best for us regardless of what a few think. the man or woman who recieves the most votes from the people should win the election at least that way America actually puts into power who the majority really wants to run the
country for the next 4 years. that is the only true way of what the people want not what a select few want. At least that way we really are a free to vote for who we think is best for us regardless of what a few think.

]]> By: Mike Sheppard http://blog.oup.com/2008/09/electoral_college/#comment-147462 Mike Sheppard Thu, 25 Sep 2008 18:17:04 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=2138#comment-147462 Because of the way the popular and elector vote interact with each other there have been 12 Presidential elections that were decided by less than a 1% margin; meaning if less than 1% of the voters in certain states had changed their mind to the other candidate the outcome of the entire election would have been different. https://www.msu.edu/~sheppa28/elections.html Because of the way the popular and elector vote interact with each other there have been 12 Presidential elections that were decided by less than a 1% margin; meaning if less than 1% of the voters in certain states had changed their mind to the other candidate the outcome of the entire election would have been different.

https://www.msu.edu/~sheppa28/elections.html

]]> By: susan http://blog.oup.com/2008/09/electoral_college/#comment-147454 susan Wed, 24 Sep 2008 20:32:26 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=2138#comment-147454 The major shortcoming of the current system of electing the President is that presidential candidates concentrate their attention on a handful of closely divided "battleground" states. In 2004 two-thirds of the visits and money were focused in just six states; 88% on 9 states, and 99% of the money went to just 16 states. Two-thirds of the states and people were merely spectators to the presidential election. Candidates have no reason to poll, visit, advertise, organize, campaign, or worry about the voter concerns in states where they are safely ahead or hopelessly behind. The reason for this is the winner-take-all rule under which all of a state's electoral votes are awarded to the candidate who gets the most votes in each separate state. Another shortcoming of the current system is that a candidate can win the Presidency without winning the most popular votes nationwide. The National Popular Vote bill would guarantee the Presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states (and DC). Every vote would be politically relevant and equal in presidential elections. The bill would take effect only when enacted, in identical form, by states possessing a majority of the electoral votes—that is, enough electoral votes to elect a President (270 of 538). When the bill comes into effect, all the electoral votes from those states would be awarded to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states (and DC). The National Popular Vote bill has passed 21 state legislative chambers, including one house in Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, North Carolina, and Washington, and both houses in California, Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The bill has been enacted by Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, and Maryland. These four states possess 50 electoral votes — 19% of the 270 necessary to bring the law into effect. See http://www.NationalPopularVote.com The major shortcoming of the current system of electing the President is that presidential candidates concentrate their attention on a handful of closely divided “battleground” states. In 2004 two-thirds of the visits and money were focused in just six states; 88% on 9 states, and 99% of the money went to just 16 states. Two-thirds of the states and people were merely spectators to the presidential election. Candidates have no reason to poll, visit, advertise, organize, campaign, or worry about the voter concerns in states where they are safely ahead or hopelessly behind. The reason for this is the winner-take-all rule under which all of a state’s electoral votes are awarded to the candidate who gets the most votes in each separate state.

Another shortcoming of the current system is that a candidate can win the Presidency without winning the most popular votes nationwide.

The National Popular Vote bill would guarantee the Presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states (and DC).

Every vote would be politically relevant and equal in presidential elections.

The bill would take effect only when enacted, in identical form, by states possessing a majority of the electoral votes—that is, enough electoral votes to elect a President (270 of 538). When the bill comes into effect, all the electoral votes from those states would be awarded to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states (and DC).

The National Popular Vote bill has passed 21 state legislative chambers, including one house in Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, North Carolina, and Washington, and both houses in California, Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The bill has been enacted by Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, and Maryland. These four states possess 50 electoral votes — 19% of the 270 necessary to bring the law into effect.

See http://www.NationalPopularVote.com

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