I can understand why popular vote likely isn't going to happen, and can even appreciate the reason.

So what can be done without changing a constitutional amendment is changing the way states award electoral votes. I would like to see them awarded proportionally with the overall winner getting an additional elector. This would be similar to what Nebraska and Maine do.

So Florida goes 52%-48% and has 30 electors. Currently all 30 go to the winner, instead 15 would go to each plus one to whoever has the most votes. In this way the smaller states still retain importance but the vote should more accurately reflect the will of the voters.

This change could be done on the state level as the constitution dictates that states can decide how electors are awarded.

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“No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.”
-- François de La Rochefoucauld

Growing older is mandatory. Growing up is optional.

Your suggestion is what was originally envisioned by our founders. But we have Thomas Jefferson to thank for the current system.

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Letters from an American - Heather Cox Richardson
The problem of voter suppression is compounded by the misuse of the Electoral College. The Framers originally designed delegates to the Electoral College to vote according to districts within states, so that states would split their electoral votes, making them roughly proportional to a candidate’s support. That system changed in 1800, after Thomas Jefferson recognized that he would have a better chance of winning the presidency if the delegates of his own home state, Virginia, voted as a bloc rather than by district. He convinced them to do it. Quickly, other state officials recognized that the “winner-take-all” system meant they must do the same or their own preferred candidate would never win. Thus, our non-proportional system was born, and it so horrified James Madison and Alexander Hamilton that both wanted constitutional amendments to switch the system back.

[heathercoxrichardson.substack.com]

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The arts are not luxuries but assets that give way more than they cost.
--Ronald Tucker on YouTube

A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it is not open.
--Frank Zappa

Yes. That seems fair, but the states where it needs to happen won’t even consider doing it.

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Roswell, GA (Atlanta suburb)

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Ombligo
This change could be done on the state level as the constitution dictates that states can decide how electors are awarded.

And there's the rub. Unless you can get everyone to give up their winner-take-all rules at the same time, what's the incentive to change?

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rj
AKA
Vreemac, Moth of the Future

Since 2000, Republicans have won the WH without the popular vote twice, and may do it a third time.


Ain't no way they are giving up that advantage.

Why would a state make its vote count less. That is what would be the effect? California's 55 votes would be be split 35-20? Texas 33 would be split 20-13?

I do not like the electoral college, and I'd say it needs to be multiplied by 10 or so, so California would have an accurate proportion 390 votes to Montana' 10 vs the current 55 to 3

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San Antonio, TX (in the old city)


"All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke
“Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." - Eli Weisel

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." - Theodore Roosevelt (1918)

"I don’t want to see religious bigotry in any form. It would disturb me if there was a wedding between the religious fundamentalists and the political right. The hard right has no interest in religion except to manipulate it." - Billy Graham 1981

"Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise" - Barry Goldwater

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Rolando

I do not like the electoral college, and I'd say it needs to be multiplied by 10 or so, so California would have an accurate proportion 390 votes to Montana' 10 vs the current 55 to 3

I think that would take a Constitutional amendment to accomplish that and my guess is that if you could muster three fourths of the states to agree to change Electoral College apportionment in the Constitution, you could probably also get three fourths to agree to ditch the Electoral College altogether.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/05/2020 01:19PM by Ted King.

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Ted King

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Rolando

I do not like the electoral college, and I'd say it needs to be multiplied by 10 or so, so California would have an accurate proportion 390 votes to Montana' 10 vs the current 55 to 3

I think that would take a Constitutional amendment to accomplish that and my guess is that if you could muster three fourths of the states to agree to change Electoral College apportionment in the Constitution, you could probably also get three fourths to agree to ditch the Electoral College altogether.

Actually, its a simple change of an act of Congress, signed by the president to expand the number of Representatives!
[time.com]
Fix that and you go a LONG way to fixing the EC!

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San Antonio, TX (in the old city)


"All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke
“Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." - Eli Weisel

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." - Theodore Roosevelt (1918)

"I don’t want to see religious bigotry in any form. It would disturb me if there was a wedding between the religious fundamentalists and the political right. The hard right has no interest in religion except to manipulate it." - Billy Graham 1981

"Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise" - Barry Goldwater

Quote
Rolando

Quote
Ted King

Quote
Rolando

I do not like the electoral college, and I'd say it needs to be multiplied by 10 or so, so California would have an accurate proportion 390 votes to Montana' 10 vs the current 55 to 3

I think that would take a Constitutional amendment to accomplish that and my guess is that if you could muster three fourths of the states to agree to change Electoral College apportionment in the Constitution, you could probably also get three fourths to agree to ditch the Electoral College altogether.

Actually, its a simple change of an act of Congress, signed by the president to expand the number of Representatives!
[time.com]
Fix that and you go a LONG way to fixing the EC!

My bad. Thanks for the correction. The House would need a bigger house.

The solution to pollution is dilution.