A national movement aimed at sidelining the Electoral College drew criticism Tuesday from Gov. Terry Branstad and leaders of both political parties. Iowa awards its six electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the most votes in the state, but under a plan being pushed in television and newspaper ads statewide, the state's electoral votes would be pledged to the candidate who wins the most votes nationwide in November 2012.
REPUBLICANS supposedly revere the Constitution, but in its birthplace, Pennsylvania, they are contemplating a subversion of the Framers' institutional architecture. Their ploy - partisanship masquerading as altruism about making presidential elections more "democratic" - will weaken resistance to an even worse change being suggested. Pennsylvania's Republican-controlled legislature may pass, and the Republican governor promises to sign, legislation ending the state's practice - shared by 47 other states - of allocating all of its electoral votes to the candidate who wins the statewide popular vote. Pennsylvania would join Maine and Nebraska in allocating one vote to the winner in each congressional district, with the two remaining votes going to the statewide popular vote winner.
Republicans supposedly revere the Constitution, but in its birthplace, Pennsylvania, they are contemplating a subversion of the Framers' institutional architecture. Their ploy - partisanship masquerading as altruism about making presidential elections more "democratic" - will weaken resistance to an even worse change being suggested. Pennsylvania's Republican-controlled Legislature might pass, and the Republican governor promises to sign, legislation ending the state's practice - shared by 47 other states - of allocating all of its electoral votes to the candidate who wins the statewide popular vote. Pennsylvania would join Maine and Nebraska in allocating one vote to the winner in each congressional district, with the two remaining votes going to the statewide popular vote winner.
National Popular Vote Inc. is one of California's lesser-known advocacy organizations. Its chairman, John Koza, is best known as the co-founder of Scientific Games Inc., the company that invented the instant lottery ticket. Now Mr. Koza and his fellow liberal activists want to "scratch off" the Electoral College - without getting the consent of the majority of Americans or the approval of Congress. And they're already halfway there.
HARRISBURG -- Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum on Friday night won a straw poll among Pennsylvania Republicans for the presidential race, but the buzz behind the scenes was about a state GOP bill proposed this week to change the state's electoral college system. Meanwhile, National Republican Party Chairman Reince Priebus tried to pitch GOP enthusiasm for defeating President Obama. "He's going to go down. He's going to go down because his numbers are upside down," he told reporters.
where we stand Many elements of our political system need fixing. Our method of officially electing the U.S. president, the Electoral College, is not one of them. Just like promises that won't be kept, candidates kissing babies and those annoying robocalls, another sure sign of a presidential election season is talk about abolishing the Electoral College.
REPUBLICANS supposedly revere the Constitution, but in its birthplace, Pennsylvania, they are contemplating a subversion of the Framers' institutional architecture. Their ploy - partisanship masquerading as altruism about making presidential elections more "democratic" - will weaken resistance to an even worse change being suggested. Pennsylvania's Republican-controlled Legislature may pass, and the Republican governor promises to sign, legislation ending the state's practice - shared by 47 other states - of allocating all of its electoral votes to the candidate who wins the statewide popular vote. Pennsylvania would join Maine and Nebraska in allocating one vote to the winner in each congressional district, with the two remaining votes going to the statewide popular vote winner.
The operating rules of the Electoral College have stirred controversy for nearly two centuries. Especially distressing to many is that the loser in the national popular vote can win the Presidency in the College. Here we consider in both theoretical and practical terms the extent to which the College results can deviate from democratic norms. We argue that, while it is mathematically possible to win the presidency with only 22% of the popular vote, some convergent patterns in cross-state election results all but preclude a massive reversal of the popular will.
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