It sees a healthy and vibrant democracy needing the underpinnings of civil society that rests on the sustained and active engagement of the citizenry and promotes approaches that seek to maximize that involvement. That principle should be expanded to presidential elections. This type of system would give the individual voter a much more significant influence. In fact, let's tally up all the votes cast for president between 1932 and 2008. Even though pre-election polls made conspicuous predictions of Hilary Clinton winning the presidency and . Watch out! Their vote only counts at the local level, not the national level, because of the electoral votes. Politicians would focus on fewer swing states (Bigger states more potential votes) It has also happened four times out of the 56 presidential elections. National Popular Vote proponents argue that the United States has had four presidential elections in which the plurality winner of the popular vote was not chosen as president. Due to some states being heavily populated in comparison to others, that may help a candidate quickly obtain a win. During a popular vote, a candidate who withdraws from the race or dies before the election can be held could still be on the ballot. The years-old effort is slowly making its way through state legislatures in hopes of changing the way Advantages and Disadvantages of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact In the 2016 Presidential Election if the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact had been in effect the winner of the national popular vote, Hillary Clinton, would have become president instead of Donald Trump. In the 2020 general election, a ballot proposition attempted to overturn Colorado's membership to the pact, but the measure failed, 52.3% to 47.7% in the referendum. It would require an Amendment in the U.S. for presidential elections. As a result, the bill will take effect when enacted by states possessing an additional 74 electoral votes. (LogOut/ Now, the states are considering the National Popular Vote plan, a system that, while not doing away with the Electoral College system, would modify it to ensure that the candidate winning the national popular vote is ultimately elected president. In U.S. history, the electoral college winner has failed to secure the popular vote 5 times. A direct popular election also ensures that citizens' votes have equal weight. In the 2000 presidential election, Al Gore won the popular vote by more than 500,000 ballots, but George Bush became president by winning the Electoral College 271 to 266. The United States does not have direct election of its president, yet most national, state and local offices are filled by the candidate with the most votes. However, a popular vote system, although hard to implement, is a more purely democratic system than the Electoral College. National Popular Vote Plan page 3 that non-member states that fail to hold such elections will not be included in the determination of 'the national popular vote winner.' This sidesteps the problem and provides an incentive for all states (non-members as well as members) to (continue to) hold such elections. A candidate can win the popular vote in enough states to win a majority of electoral votes but still lose the popular vote nationally. ThoughtCo. Thats a bank of about 14 million potential voters that reliably vote as a majority for Democratic candidates. The Electoral College is made up of 538 electors and a majority of 270 electoral votes is mandatory to nominate the President. For the 7 presidential elections between 1992-2016, the Republican candidate has won the Electoral college 3 times. For more information, please see our Longley, Robert. National Popular Vote will create a single member district (all 50 states and D.C.), where the candidate with the most votes wins and . The official 2016 election results from the Electoral College gave Donald J. Trump the victory with 306 electoral votes v. Hillary Clinton's 232 votes. [Add switching votes of losing party to the other partys voter totals in every state using the Electoral College/Winner-Take-All system (except for 5 EC votes in Maine and Nebraska that are awarded proportionally instead of by Winner-Take-All.]. on WordPress.com. 3. Americans are still bent up and flustered on how an individual could lose the popular vote, but still, be given the upper hand in Electoral College votes. pros and cons." dave leip's atlas of u.s. presidential elections. 8. That's almost 1.5 billion . Ken Bickers. 3. If that was to take place, America could potentially face the same issues it is facing now. tobin james the blend 2017 ; real estate marketing solutions; cons of the national popular vote plan; lassi kefalonia shops cons of the national popular vote plan Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. But don't forget, Bush won the popular vote four years later by three million votes. The second advantage is that the all votes would be equally weighed (Richards). Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. The first advantage allows for electoral votes to be fairer than the Electoral College (Richards). According to Article II, Section 1, "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." amazon web services address herndon va custom airbrush spray tan near me custom airbrush spray tan near me Presidential candidates have no reason to poll, visit, advertise, organize, or campaign in states that they cannot possibly win or lose; in 2016, 68% of presidential campaign visits took place in just six states. It could encourage voter turnout. 3. There are alternatives to winner-take-all that do not involve abandoning the positive aspects of the Electoral College. With a popular vote in place, each election win would be decreed a mandate to follow the platform of the winning party. There are logistical issues that are managed at the local level in each election. ashburnham school committee; its his baby now political cartoon meaning; softstar primal sawyer This text is available online and is used for gudiance and inspiration, We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. "The National Popular Vote Plan." In 6 Elections, 2 Near-Misses (2020, 2004) and 2 Second-Place Presidents (2016, 2000) National Popular Vote Has Been Enacted into Law in 16 Jurisdictions with 195 Electoral Votes. The lack of competition and campaigning in a majority of states owes itself not to the existence of the Electoral College's indirect method of choosing presidents but rather to the winner-take-all method of choosing electors in all but two states. The National Popular Vote plan does not do away with the Electoral College system, an action that would require a constitutional amendment. For example: States already have the power to award their electors to the winner of the national popular vote, although this would be disadvantageous to the state that did so unless it was joined simultaneously by other states that represent a majority of electoral votes. (LogOut/ 5. Voters in spectator states, including five of the nations 10 most populous states (California, Texas, New York, Illinois, and New Jersey), and 12 of the 13 least populous states (all but New Hampshire) have no real incentive to go to the polls as their votes do not affect the outcome of the election. During the 2012 elections, 38 states, also known as spectator states, were ignored and forgotten. It would eliminate the Congressional provisions for a non-majority election. The alternative view of democracy is more complex; it is one that includes but is not limited to the pursuit of equality. During the 2012 elections, 38 states, also known as spectator states, were ignored and forgotten. Dont know what Ranked Choice Voting is? More people live in urban regions, which means they would have a constant sway over the election. Yet, by May 2021, 15 states and Washington, D.C., had signed onto the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. Washington, DC 20005, Common Cause pays tribute to our leader, our friend, and a lifelong advocate for our democracy, Constitution, Courts & Other Democracy Issues, Ensure Fair Districts & Reflective Democracy, Expand Voting Rights & Election Integrity, Promote Free Speech & Accountability in Media, Protect the Constitution, Courts & Other Democracy Reforms. Here are six reasons why legislators should reject this attempt to jettison our electoral system: 1. . All states could adopt the system that now exists in Maine and Nebraska, where all but two electors are chosen by congressional district, and the other two go to the statewide winner. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. on Advantages and Disadvantages of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, Follow All U.S. Citizens Should Vote. It would limit the influence of local issues in the election. For under its plan, the next time the U.S. has very close national vote, a recount would not be of six million votes in one state but of more than 130 million votes in all states and the District of Columbia, all with their own rules for conducting a recount. Actually the NPV Compact doesnt change one word in he Constitution and in fact only changes state laws. Removing this system could encourage more people to come out to support their candidate. Note: Today we are in a phase where the popular vote in presidential elections leans Democratic. There would be fewer opportunities to illegally alter the results of an election. Because a direct election would be, by definition, national and resource allocation would be overwhelmingly dominated by paid television advertising, there would be little impetus for grass-roots activity. The amendment requires that any change to the rate of compensation for members of Congress can only take effect after a subsequent election in the House of Representatives. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. On Dec. 22, 2016, the results were certified in all 50 states. Con:not Eliminate possibility that loser of the popular vote can still win the electoral vote The Proportional Plan A proposed reform where each presidential candidate would receive the percent of electoral votes that they win from each state Proportional Plan Pro:Possible for loser of popular vote to win presidency. Change). Mayors, governors, and senators are all elected by a simple majority. A popular vote system would significantly impact voters and turnout. And thats not how it should be in a democracy. 2015. People are moving to live in like-minded communities more than ever before. what connection type is known as "always on"? NCSL conducts policy research in areas ranging from agriculture and budget and tax issues to education and health care to immigration and transportation. The one-vote approach does not align with the way the electoral votes operates. Get breaking news and updates from Common Cause. We have seen this outcome in the 2016 Presidential election between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump and in the 2000 election between George H.W. In each instance the republic has survived, and democracy has prospered despite the challenges presented. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Bosque de Palabras Less would get done, which would affect the needs of households at the local level. As with other powers entrusted to the states, it is an application, not a circumvention, of the Constitution when the states utilize those powers as they see fit. The National Popular Vote initiative transpired in 2006. National Popular Vote compact pros and cons. Is the National Popular Vote Plan Constitutional? 1. Menu burger Close thin Facebook Twitter Google plus Linked in Reddit Email arrow-right-sm arrow-right Loading Home Buying Calculators The horror of a potential national recount is only one of the dangers direct presidential elections poses. Part of HuffPost Politics. It would eliminate the threat of a faithless elector. At that stage, anyone who received an electoral vote is eligible to become the next president. The appeal of NPV is the simplicity of its message. Make a contribution to support Common Cause today. The method works by electing one elector within each congressional district by popular vote and selecting the remaining two electors by a statewide popular vote. Hence, the National Popular Vote plan is an interstate compact a type of state law authorized by the U.S. Constitution that enables states to enter into a legally enforceable, contractual obligation to undertake agreed joint actions, which may be delayed in implementation until a requisite number of states join in. Under the Electoral College system, voters in states that are overwhelmingly in support of one candidate might feel like their vote is unimportant. Candidates feel they either cant win or lose with the votes from these states. Cons: Smaller states don't get as much of a say and people would demand a national recount National Bonus Plan Winner of popular vote gets extra 102 electoral votes Pros: No winner of popular vote losing overall Cons: Basically exactly like the Direct plan District Plan Win popular vote in each district, you get one electoral vote. Once effective, states could withdraw from the compact at any time except during the six-month window between July 20 of an election year and Inauguration Day (January 20). As of December 2020, the National Popular Vote bill has been adopted by 15 states and the District of Columbia, controlling 196 electoral votes: CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, HI, IL, MA, MD, NJ, NM, NY, OR, RI, VT, and WA. It has its pros and cons though, many of which critics debate over. The country thinks we are going to elect the president using the Electoral College/Winner-Take-All system tans and then four months before the election we change to the National Popular Vote Compact system and elect the president by whoever gets the most popular votes. The pros and cons of the popular vote structure of an election allow for the majority to have their say in who they wish to serve.