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mvymvy

(309 posts)

36. Near Misses are Now Frequently Common

Thu Nov 20, 2014, 02:09 AM

Nov 2014

Because of the state-by-state winner-take-all electoral votes laws (i.e., awarding all of a state’s electoral votes to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in each state) in 48 states, a candidate can win the Presidency without winning the most popular votes nationwide. This has occurred in 4 of the nation's 57 (1 in 14 = 7%) presidential elections. The precariousness of the current state-by-state winner-take-all system of awarding electoral votes is highlighted by the fact that a shift of a few thousand voters in one or two states would have elected the second-place candidate in 4 of the 15 presidential elections since World War II. Near misses are now frequently common. There have been 7 consecutive non-landslide presidential elections (1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2012). 537 popular votes won Florida and the White House for Bush in 2000 despite Gore's lead of 537,179 (1,000 times more) popular votes nationwide. A shift of 60,000 voters in Ohio in 2004 would have defeated President Bush despite his nationwide lead of over 3 million votes. In 2012, a shift of 214,733 popular votes in four states would have elected Mitt Romney, despite President Obama’s nationwide lead of 4,966,945 votes.

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The electoral college- the greatest vote suppressor ever [View all] wilt the stilt Nov 2014 OP

I think that many here might be unpleasantly surprised by a popular vote system Nye Bevan Nov 2014 #1

You're assuming a binary winner-takes-all system unrepentant progress Nov 2014 #2

If you get rid of the electoral college SickOfTheOnePct Nov 2014 #4

You'll notice I was talking in hypotheticals unrepentant progress Nov 2014 #6

Getting one Constitutional amendment done is big enough of a hurdle SickOfTheOnePct Nov 2014 #9

Who cares? unrepentant progress Nov 2014 #10

My bad SickOfTheOnePct Nov 2014 #12

The National Popular Vote Bill - 61% of the way of going into effect mvymvy Nov 2014 #28

Thanks SickOfTheOnePct Nov 2014 #30

and what is wrong with that concept wilt the stilt Nov 2014 #8

congressional districts should have a maximum allowed in any one district wilt the stilt Nov 2014 #5

Yep. unrepentant progress Nov 2014 #7

I have been against the electoral college since 1969 wilt the stilt Nov 2014 #3

The Candidate with the Most Votes Should Win mvymvy Nov 2014 #27

I have a degree in political science from the Electoral College. kwassa Nov 2014 #11

I'm sure the Founding Fathers came up with the idea customerserviceguy Nov 2014 #13

Minorities and women didn't have the vote until 1920 and 1964. CK_John Nov 2014 #22

unless there is sarcasm here ProdigalJunkMail Nov 2014 #42

Yes, thanks customerserviceguy Nov 2014 #45

On paper... world wide wally Nov 2014 #14

I actually think that getting rid of it, would be more of a disenfranchisment KMOD Nov 2014 #15

No shit, that is where the people are! One person, one vote. Odin2005 Nov 2014 #16

Doesn't it already? Through the House votes? n/t KMOD Nov 2014 #17

So issues important to North Dakota don't matter? davidn3600 Nov 2014 #18

A North Dakotan vote shouldn't have more weight in choosing a president ProfessorPlum Nov 2014 #20

You are thinking about it in a skewed way, I think ProfessorPlum Nov 2014 #19

Safe states, and swing states aren't static. KMOD Nov 2014 #31

States' Partisanship Has Hardened mvymvy Nov 2014 #33

Big City & Campaign Realities mvymvy Nov 2014 #34

Political Realities of Big States. They would not decide every election mvymvy Nov 2014 #26

8 small western states KMOD Nov 2014 #32

Small States Support a National Popular Vote mvymvy Nov 2014 #35

Near Misses are Now Frequently Common mvymvy Nov 2014 #36

Be careful what you wish for zipplewrath Nov 2014 #21

Near Misses are Now Frequently Common mvymvy Nov 2014 #23

When Every Vote is Equal and Matters, Turnout does and will Increase mvymvy Nov 2014 #24

When and where every voter is equal, a campaign must be run everywhere mvymvy Nov 2014 #25

No zipplewrath Nov 2014 #29

When and where every voter is equal, a campaign must be run everywhere mvymvy Nov 2014 #37

Tad Deceiving zipplewrath Nov 2014 #38

One Person, One Vote, Each Equal, Each Matters Equally, Most Votes Wins mvymvy Nov 2014 #39

And this will get worse with a purely popular vote zipplewrath Nov 2014 #40

Political Reality and Experience Don't Agree mvymvy Nov 2014 #41

Again decieving zipplewrath Nov 2014 #43

I have been saying this for years AgingAmerican Nov 2014 #44