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GOP Wants to Change Electoral College Rules to Win in 2016

Proportional vote system would give GOP the advantage

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by PolitixMayday

Staff Writer t

Image: Daily Camera

The Republican party is pushing for an end to the winner-take-all system governing electoral votes in most states. It's part of a bid to reclaim the White House, and if successful, it could have massive ramifications for future elections, the National Journal reports.

Republicans who currently hold legislative majorities across many traditionally blue states, such as Michigan and Wisconsin, could adjust their state's rules over electoral votes in 2013. The proposed changes would award electoral votes proportionally by congressional districts, rather than a simple state-wide majority.

This would devastate a long-running Democratic advantage in both states.

Thanks to redistricting, a majority of Democratic voters have been cornered into a few urban districts. Republican voters, however, are spread out among more districts, and would have a significant advantage if a proportional system were adopted.

Such proposals aren't new, the National Journal reports. In the early days of the Republic, states often changed rules governing the Electoral College. But those early rule changes were no less controversial than today's changes, explains Michael McDonald, a George Mason University political scientist.

Via the National Journal.
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Comments (view in Forum)

  • o
    Antiecm
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    I would support doing away with that antiquated relic we are dragging around confusing the issues. The person that gets the most votes must be the winner. But our flawed system allows the other, the vote loser can still win...................... Insanity..........
  • PNWest
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    The President and Vice President should be elected by popular vote. That way the candidates would have to make their case to all of us - not just those in swing states. What the GOP wants to do is keep winner take all in states that vote republican and have proportional voting in states that vote democratic. The last thing republicans ever want to see is every body voting and every bodies votes counting equally. They can't win elections like that because the majority of the people disagree with them on the issues. Remember that there were between 500K and 1M more votes for democrats running for congress and that only because of GOP gerrymandering do the reps have a majority in the house of representatives. If the congress was decided based purely on popular vote the dems would have the majority.
  • u
    oldgulph
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    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, everywhere, would be politically relevant and equal in presidential elections. No more distorting and divisive red and blue state maps. There would no longer be a handful of 'battleground' states where voters and policies are more important than those of the voters in 80% of the states that now are just 'spectators' and ignored after the conventions.

    When the bill is enacted by states with a majority of the electoral votes– enough electoral votes to elect a President (270 of 538), all the electoral votes from the enacting states would be awarded to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and DC.

    The bill has passed 31 state legislative chambers in 21 states with 243 electoral votes. The bill has been enacted by 9 jurisdictions with 132 electoral votes - 49% of the 270 necessary to go into effect.

    NationalPopularVote.com
  • Bobolinsky
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    This isn't a "change to the electoral college system." This is... States deciding to exercise their right to apportion their electoral college delegates as they see fit...

    "Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress..."

    ... Same as always.

    Now, if it was the case that the federal government wanted to barge in and tell the states how to apportion their delegates... Then we would need a Constitutional Amendment... Same as always.
  • o
    woodtick57
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    Very correct assessment. i personally like the idea of states acting together as a single entity. if we are going to do it this way, why not just get rid of the EC altogether and go with the popular vote. it might be fun to see a president end up with a VP not of his/her choosing...

  • View all 30 replies >

  • InjusticeSucks
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    What a sorry collection of Morons...They lost so now we wante to change the rules in or own Favor????..Think of it America....Just think of it??????
  • Thunderchicken
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    @woodtick57

    In the past, the voters elected the state legislature and the legislature elected the senators to represent the state. I don't see why it was changed.
  • o
    woodtick57
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    @Thunderchicken that was because the vast majority of voters were uneducated hicks. Not saying this has really changed, but people should be able to directly elect their reps.
  • o
    woodtick57
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    @Thunderchicken Which changes? No state has yet ot put up any proposal to change their EC rules. If they do, I will look at them objectively as always.

    Again, as I stated previously, I favor states voting as a single entity. We have common goals and issues that bind us. If we are to change to this type of proportioning of the EC votes, it would be just as well to go to a popular vote and get rid of the EC altogether.
  • o
    woodtick57
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    This sure would be a boon to the political campaign industry. think of all the new domographic consulting needed to select a campaign strategy for the diverse and disparate districts within each state.

    And people say they are sick of the amount of campaigning now....
  • u
    KyleMFb
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    They try surpressing the vote in 12 that was a failure now they want to change the electoral college what next??? when will these stupid republicans stop trying to cheat to win why don't they try wining the honest way by changing their many failed and our dated policies
  • PoliticalSpice
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    They can not do as you suggest because when they honestly explain their policies and belief they almost always lose. Atkins, Palin, Romney, etc. voters do not like repub policies. They onle win when they lie "read my lips" "compassionate conservative" are examples of the misleading slogans used by both bushes.
  • DARSB
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    If the GOP even exists in 2016 this might become an issue. After last night's rebellion inside the Republican Conference that survival is questionable.
  • RoyFloyd
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    This is exactly what Republicans had in mind for California a few years back, splitting the electoral votes which would still yield about 45% in that huge blue state, still a helluvalot of electoral votes. Turned out the money backing the plan was from Texas Republicans, who were in no way disposed to splitting Texas' electoral votes in the same way. This isn't reform of any sort but rather pure partisan scheming. Only fair way to implement such a plan is to do it in all 50 states, but then that would require a constitutional amendment. Bring it on.
  • PoliticalSpice
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    If we are talking constitutional amnd why not move to a parlimentary system. It is far more repressentatives. Liberatians, conservatives, greens, socialist, would all share in getting seats along with dems and repubs.
  • o
    woodtick57
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    @PoliticalSpice We are not talking aof amending the US constitution. The US constitution does not come into play on this issue at all.
  • o
    woodtick57
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    @PoliticalSpice Two states already proportion their EC votes this way, Maine and.. ahhh...dang should have checked before posting...either Nebraska or Iowa, one of the corn places...

    any state can change how they proportion their share of Electoral College votes.

  • View all 6 replies >

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    FenceSitter K
    Politix Diplomat
    !
    Thanks for your comment. I thought I would chime in regarding quotes/copyrighted material. When posting a quote or referencing another site, we ask that you please cite your sources and post only a short abstract. Without this proper formatting, posts can be removed due to copyright violation.

    You can view our Engagement Etiquette here: http://politix.topix.com/about/community

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    FenceSitter
  • u
    oldgulph
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    @FenceSitter I am authorized by National Popular Vote, explicitly to post factual information, that I help develop with them.
  • FenceSitter K
    Politix Diplomat
    !
    @oldgulph Thanks for your message! Feel free to re-post the content with a short abstract and a link to the original source; we have these guidelines to discourage spamming as well.

    Regards,
    FenceSitter
  • o
    Sonny
    !
    Yet another republican attempted Power grab. Now let's see...They have tried to suppress the vote with all of those bogus "voter ID laws" that failed. They have tried to discourage voting in predominently Democratic districts, and that has failed. They have tried to reduce the number of days of early voting (mostly in Democratic districts)--and that has failed. They have tried to discourage voter registration drives (for Democrats)--and that failed. They have tried to hire republican operatives to "register voters"...but then throw out any registration forms that were not marked "republican" as the political party of choice...So now---they are trying to change the "electoral college rules" to try to again illegally tamper with or prevent a legitimate election outcome....This to will fail...Because,---Let's face it...Not many people still believe the republican "theories" anymore...And no one wants to see their policies put into place as law in our country....

    The best way they can start winning some elections is to listen to what the people want...and then run candidates who will follow-through on those demands---and STOP trying to screw around with these silly voter suppression tactics.
  • jmann88
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    Need to get rid of the electoral college and let the people chose who's president and not a single vote from someone that is aready one sided
  • u
    Belin
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    Any change to the elector college is good Personally I believe the electorol college is antiquated! I believe it should be done away with and run the Presidential elections by popular vote only. That way everyone's vote would count in a fair election! The electorol college takes away the citizens individual vote!
  • u
    CommonSense
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    We should advance the interstate voter compacts, the laws that say that once enough other states have passed the same law (enough to form a majority i.e. 270 electoral votes) we will cast our electoral votes for the winner of the national popular vote, effectively making the presidency elected by popular vote.
    This plan by the Republicans is one-sided. I doubt they will implement it in Texas.
  • Denizen_Kate
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    Every post-election period, the losing party makes suggestions for changing the electoral college system. The GOP is just a little more shameless this time. They've already managed to gerrymander congressional districts in their favor. What won't they do to subvert the will of the majority?
  • Your_Name_Here
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    Make the electoral college go away and make it easier for "We, the People" to get referendums on the ballot. I would like to see the two-party system go away and have a consensus decide on what is best for the country. First thing we need is to go find some intelligent politicians.
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