Security would be improved across the country. The bill has crossed paths with 36 legislative chambers and has been sponsored or voted for by 3,112 state legislators (National Popular Vote). Imperfect, because its modern-day blessings -- enhancing coalition building, pluralism, federalism and grass-roots participation -- are enjoyed only by a minority of states (in any given presidential election 18 or 20), where the battle for electoral votes is competitive for both major parties. Is the National Popular Vote Plan Constitutional? The candidate who placed second in the popular vote was elected in 2016, 2000, 1888, 1876, and 1824. 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. During the 2012 elections, 38 states, also known as spectator states, were ignored and forgotten. National Popular Vote (NPV) was founded in 2006 by lottery scratch-card inventor John Koza and election lawyer Barry Fadem to lobby for an "interstate compact" for states to deliver their electoral votes for President to the "winner" of the national popular vote. National Popular Vote - Pros and Cons "The National Popular Vote bill would guarantee the Presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in the entire U.S. Their answer is simple: one in which every citizen's vote is equal to every other citizen's vote and one in which the winner of the presidential popular vote, no matter how small his or her percentage is of those who voted, would be elected. At the moment, 98 more electoral votes are needed to pass this bill in all 50 states (National Conference of State Legislators). The itineraries of presidential candidates in battleground states (and their allocation of other campaign resources) demonstrate what every gubernatorial or senatorial candidate in every state already knows namely that when every vote matters, the campaign must be run in every part of the state. The Supreme Court has said in local and state elections voting should be based on the principle of one person one vote. The first problem it creates is the opportunity for the loser of the popular vote to win the electoral vote. A Critique of the National Popular Vote October 13, 2008 Policy Analysis No. Where the National Popular Vote Plan Stands. These are the states that may go to either major party candidate in the election. Would it aid a fight to eliminate first past the post or would it further entrench the established party system voters American voters have expressed disdain for. Today, many electors are bound to vote according to their states' popular vote results, and those who aren't almost always do. This divide creates natural divisions between groups of people who both support their country, but in different ways. 6. mike matarazzo last photo. However, Hilary Clinton won 2.6 million more popular votes nationwide than Donald Trump. 15 states and Washington, D.C. have joined the National Popular Vote compact. The NPVC is a proposed interstate compact in which the signatory states agree that they will appoint their presidential electors in accordance with the national popular vote rather than their own state electorate's vote. What would happen during a switch to the popular vote would be unknown. This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. However, some critics argue that the advantages of a direct popular election including reflecting democratic principals, outweigh the disadvantages. But NPV could force our electors to disregard the wishes of the . Under the Electoral College/Winner-Take-All system votes in small states, like Wyoming or Delaware count double what votes in large states like California or Texas. Inicio; Nota Biografica; Obra; Blogs. Even the minority party wouldnt be encouraged to negotiate because they could simply stall until the next election. and our It could encourage voter turnout. 3. 1. NPV supporters claim, accurately, that a direct election for president would reduce or eliminate the possibility that a fringe candidate (like a Ralph Nader or Ron Paul) winning five percent or less of the vote in a single state could serve to defeat a major party candidate from the same side of the political spectrum. But for those people who feel that changing how we elect the president should only be done by constitutional amendment they will feel that using the NPV Compact will undermine the legitimacy of the process even though its perfectly legal and constitutional. It gives each vote an equal amount of power. It would eliminate the threat of a faithless elector. The only election in the United States which is not governed by the popular vote is the presidential election. Analyzes how william c. kimberling, the deputy director of the federal election commission, is a credible author over the issue. Without the popular vote bill, swing states would continue to get more leverage and attention from candidates to ensure that they would be able to capture their votes. Here is the entire text of the proposed "Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote." Tweet Email this More on The Electoral College: Honorable Steve Cohen The bill has passed one chamber in 12 additional states with 96 electoral votes. The Electoral College is very undemocratic and riddled with issues. 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. However, in the popular vote, Trump only received 62,984,825 votes against Hillary Clinton's 65,853,516 popular votes. 2. It could help to reduce partisanship. Candidates feel they either cant win or lose with the votes from these states. Thats the way it has been in this country for a long time. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. The second advantage is that the all votes would be equally weighed (Richards). While we look further into the National Popular Vote, lets investigate some of its pro and cons for the American democracy. In countries where the concept of popular votes is in place, every vote has an equal weight regarding the election outcome. If the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact becomes law it would be an excellent first step to help get a future amendment to the Constitution to replace the Electoral College/Winner-Take-All system to elect the president with a national popular vote using Ranked Choice Voting. 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. 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. It understands that while the nation is one union, it is also an amalgam of varying experiences and perspectives arrived at via the settings and unique problems surrounding those who live in different places, and that these differences fall within the broad rubric of federalism. By adding this new interstate compact to the Electoral College/Winner-Take-All system to elect our president we are in fact making this system even more complicated and even harder for the voters to understand. Proponents of the National Popular Vote fail to understand the most basic facts about the American presidential electoral system. The last amendment, the 27th Amendment to the Constitution, was ratified nearly 200 years after it was originally proposed. Going to the popular vote would eliminate this issue altogether. First it would be relatively easy to implement. Every state is allocated several votes according to the number of senators and representatives in its U.S. Congressional delegation. But the much greater danger to American democracy is that direct elections may make it possible for a president to be elected by no more than 30 percent of the vote, regardless of his or her suitability for office, so long as there is sufficient money and a clever media advisor behind the effort. And thats not how it should be in a democracy. 5. Each states electoral votes are tallied by Congress in the House chamber by House and Senate representatives on the 6th day of January following the Presidential election. And unlike direct elections, either would provide an incentive for grass-roots activity, coalition building and enhanced citizen participation. The appeal of NPV is the simplicity of its message. On a close popular vote, often defined as a difference of 0.5% or less in the tabulated results, an automatic recount would likely be triggered. It would limit the influence of local issues in the election. Our experts will write for you an essay on any topic, with any deadline and requirements from scratch, Electoral College and National Popular Vote Pros and Cons. By continuing well assume youre on board with our, https://samploon.com/electoral-college-and-national-popular-vote-pros-and-cons/, Select a writer from a large pool of experts. It has been enacted into law in 11 states with 165 electoral votes, and will take effect when enacted by states with 105 more. A popular vote election takes all ballots that are cast, counts them, and declares the winner based on who received the most votes. Of the 538 Electoral College votes available, Donald J. Trump received 304 votes, Hillary Clinton received 227 votes, and seven votes went to others: three for Colin Powell, one for Faith Spotted Eagle, one for John Kasich, one for Ron Paul, and one for Bernie Sanders). Or states might explore what was recently proposed in Colorado -- that electors be allocated in proportion to each candidate's share of the popular vote above a certain threshold. It is perhaps the most simplistic form of an election. 1. Moving to the popular vote structure would eliminate this potential issue. 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. Lincoln Chafee (D) made his state the latest to sign on. It is our national motto and is so for a reason. Disadvantages of the NPV Interstate Compact. Electing a president who did not have broad regional support could lead to a fractured and less cohesive country, according to the Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Yet, by May 2021, 15 states and Washington, D.C., had signed onto the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. In 2016, Florida had 29 electoral votes and 9.4 million voters, created a voter value of 0.72. In U.S. history, there has been one vice-presidential candidate who died after being nominated and one that withdrew from their partys ticket. Activating the National Popular Vote compact would reshape our . Longley, Robert. How the National Popular Vote Plan Would Work. Regional candidates could secure enough votes to win a national election. Without any sort of broad support, the politics of the country could become even more fractured than they already are. 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. Inside Ohio or Florida, to pick two examples, the big cities do not receive all the attention, and they certainly do not control the outcome. To pass an amendment to change the Constitution the Founding Fathers wisely required approval by 2/3 of both houses of Congress and 3/4 of the state legislatures instead of a simple majority. https://www.thoughtco.com/the-national-popular-vote-plan-3322047 (accessed March 4, 2023). 10 Apr. That means every state is allowed a minimum of 3 electoral votes. The NPV Interstate Compact does not eliminate the very complicated Electoral College system that most voters dont really understand. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. 3. Although it is sometimes conjectured that a national popular election would focus only on big cities, it is clear that this would not be the case. The electoral college leads to a heavy emphasis on swing states and also typically over-represents citizens in rural states. Bosque de Palabras Here are the Cons of the Electoral College 1. As the National Popular Vote (NPV) movement steps up its effort to impose a direct election for president, attempting to enlist states with a sufficient number of electors to constitute a majority (268) and to bind them to the winner of the national popular vote, those states considering the proposal might first reflect on the nightmare aftermath Just 12 Closely Divided Battleground States Got 96% of 2020 Campaign Events. The selection of presidential electors is specifically entrusted to the states by the Constitution. Actually the NPV Compact doesnt change one word in he Constitution and in fact only changes state laws. In theory we could change how we elect our president every four years. This advance is referred to as the winner-take-all approach. The National Bonus Plan was proposed by historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. But if we set politics aside and focus on what is really best for democracy in our country in the long run I believe that the advantages of using the NPV compact to elect our president outweigh the disadvantages and the best way to elect our president in the 21st century is by direct popular vote using Ranked Choice Voting. Weve already seen this issue take place with the GOP primaries in 2016. National Popular Vote values rural and urban voters equally. The National Popular Vote bill will take effect when enacted into law by states possessing 270 electoral votes a majority of the current 538 electoral votes. (2020, December 16). 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. To become president of the United States of America, you must be at least 35 years old, have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years and be a natural-born citizen. The danger of NPV is that it will undermine the complex and vital underpinnings of American democracy. The senators in the U.S. Senate make up two votes in addition to the votes that represent the number of its members in the U.S. House of Representatives (Archives). Longley, Robert. If the election is based off a popular vote, each of these areas would need to be closely examined in real-time, which would enhance the security of each vote that is cast. The appeal of NPV is the simplicity of its message. And that would lead to chaos in how political parties campaign for president and could also undermine the legitimacy of the process. A direct popular election would make it more possible for third-party candidates to succeed and would also encourage political parties to become more radical and extreme. It has been enacted into law in 11 states with 165 electoral votes, and will take effect when enacted by states with 105 more. The compact is designed to ensure that the candidate who receives the most votes nationwide is elected president, and it . Because of the winner-take-all rule, a candidate can be elected president without winning the most popular votes nationwide. The time to stop its momentum is now. Mayors, governors, and senators are all elected by a simple majority. Many of these states dont participate in campaign visits or get televised ads. It was a great idea in 1787 but the country has changed since 1787 and the people today want to elect the president by a simple, direct popular vote where whoever gets the most votes wins like we do in every other election in the country. Under the plan, Michigan's 15 Electoral . As of December 2020, the bill has been fully adopted predominately by Democratic-majority blue states which delivered the 14 largest vote shares for Barack Obama in the 2012 Presidential Election. It would reduce diversity in the election structures. 4. 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. Candidates feel these states need a little bit more of their attention and apply pressure to supply these states with solutions to their problems in order to gain their vote. People are moving to live in like-minded communities more than ever before. Get breaking news and updates from Common Cause. Not only it already happened five times, but in theory, a candidate could win the presidency with only 22% of the popular vote in a two-candidates race. 8. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Imagine a scenario where a presidential candidate focuses on Los Angeles, New York City, Portland, OR and Seattle. 1, 2023 at 1:16 PM PST. State Question 820 lays out a statutory framework for a recreational industry that would begin about 90 days after election results are certified. Samploon is a database of free essay samples. In the early 19th century, many states ratified an approach that would allow the candidate with the most votes in that state to be the winner. 5. List of the Cons of Using the Popular Vote 1. That means the cost of counting all the votes would be duplicated. The popular vote currently gives every citizenCalifornians and Texans, Hawaiians and Mainers, Alabamans and Oregoniansan equal say in choosing the president. Only Nebraska and Maine do not. 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. An electoral college would solve . District Plan CONS Technically still possible, but A LOT hard to do so District 1 = Romney 57% District 2 = Romney 52% District 3 = Romney 70% Gerrymandering. Ken Bickers. This is a situation that has caused controversy in the election years of of 1800, 1876, 1888, 2000 and 2016 when the elected president won the Electoral College and the presidency but did not win the popular vote. Even though we will be able to elect the president by national popular vote using the The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, eventually the rules for how we elect the president should be an official part of the Constitution. The Electoral College system, however imperfect, serves this broader view of democracy. evergreen funeral home live stream. This National Popular Vote Compact wouldn't take effect until states with 270 electors a majority joined in. Richard F. Potthoff looks critically at a proposed alternative way of electing the US president, the National Popular Vote plan, where all states in an interstate compact which cover 270 or more electoral votes would cast their electoral votes for the candidate who won the nationwide vote, no matter who wins their state. If a popular vote were allowed to declare a winner instead, it wouldnt be through a state-by-state counting of electoral votes. For example, if a candidate was very popular in New York City, Los Angeles and other large cities, she might not need to earn votes from other areas of the country. 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). (See: Electoral Votes by State). The President-Elect takes the oath of office and is sworn in as President of the United States on January 20th in the year following the Presidential election (Archives). (LogOut/ The National Popular Vote Plan. This type of system would give the individual voter a much more significant influence. The election is held every four years on the first Tuesday in November and prior to election day, the two candidates endure state-level primaries, caucuses, debates, and conventions. Wyoming had just 3 electoral votes, but only had 255,000 voters as well. cons of the national popular vote planchicago religious demographics. Because every vote is equal inside Ohio or Florida, presidential candidates avidly seek out voters in small, medium, and large towns. Before the 2016 election, the largest vote deficit in the popular vote was Al Gore securing over 500,000 votes more than George W. Bush. To date, the bill has passed at least one legislative chamber in 9 states possessing 82 combined electoral votes: AR, AZ, ME, MI, MN, NC, NV, OK, and OR. And that would undermine the legitimacy of the NPV among those people. 8. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. PBS: What does voter turnout tell us about the 2016 election. Join the thousands across the country who instantly rally when there is a threat to our democracy. Less would get done, which would affect the needs of households at the local level. 9. When a popular vote is held for a national office, the election becomes more about platform issues than local issues. The NPV is a multi-state agreement that, when active, would ensure that the presidential candidate who wins the popular vote nationally also wins in the Electoral College. It would eliminate superfluous votes. Even if states impose fines on faithless electors for their actions, it is not a guarantee that the behavior will stop. Feb 25, 2023. Copyright 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Education, Explore state by state cost analysis of US colleges in an interactive article, Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections: The Electoral College, University of the Pacific: Electoral College Reform, University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School: The Electoral College. The discussion around using the popular vote for elections has increased since the results of the 2016 election. The Electoral College was established in the Constitution to protect minority interests and mitigate the possibility of a regional candidate. Thats how politics works in America. (LogOut/ 3. pros and cons." dave leip's atlas of u.s. presidential elections. Due to some states being heavily populated in comparison to others, that may help a candidate quickly obtain a win. That's almost 1.5 billion . How the US Electoral College System Works, Biography of Donald Trump, 45th President of the United States, What Is Statutory Law? The National Bonus Plan maintains the Electoral College voting system but adds 102 bonus electoral votes to the existing 538 votes. Published: Mar. The use of the Electoral College has been the only approach the U.S. has used to gain a President, but this way has generated numerous issues. 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. Make a contribution to support Common Cause today. The National Popular Vote compact would have the same effect as a constitutional amendment to abolish the Electoral College but has the benefit of retaining the power to control presidential elections in states hands. Two-thirds of the campaign events were in four states, Florida, Iowa, Virginia, and Ohio, that year. There are logistical issues that are managed at the local level in each election. Lastly, it may cause a third-party candidate to prevail and win, which would allow Americans to be given more choices besides the two primary parties (Richards). It happened once, in 1876. sale of united methodist church property. Currently, candidates focus more on swing and battleground states to help them gain those electoral votes. 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. 2015. Under the electoral college system (and other voting systems not based on popular voting), it only takes one extra vote more than the other candidate to create the needed results for the election. Currently, the National Popular Vote bill has 172 electoral votes. The NPV movement seeks to create an unfair and unconstitutional system that diminishes the voting rights of citizens throughout the country and raises the prospect of increased voter fraud and. Donald Trump won the presidential election by securing 304 electoral votes, compared to Hillary Clintons 227 electoral votes. However, in the popular vote, Trump only received 62,984,825 votes against Hillary Clinton's 65,853,516 popular votes. The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact collectively apportions votes to the winner of the overall popular vote without a constitutional amendment abolishing the electoral college or the assent of Congress. After the process, the President of the Senate reveals who has officially been voted in as President and Vice President of the United States. Or the opposite could be true. A candidate can win the popular vote in enough states to win a majority of electoral votes but still lose the popular vote nationally. I am confident that when we enter the next phase where the popular vote leans Republican that Republicans will change and be adamant that we should elect the president by direct popular vote and Democrats will be arguing why we should keep the Electoral College/Winner-Take-All system. Many people may feel that any major change in how we elect the president should be in the Constitution and not in a legal loop hole even if its legal and technically constitutional. It would reduce the threshold necessary to win the office. Maryland and New Jersey passed this bill in 2007, Hawaii and Illinois in 2008, Washington in 2009, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia in 2010, California and Vermont in 2011, Rhode Island in 2013, New York in 2014 and Connecticut in 2018. In the 2016 election, "swing states" that might vote Republican or Democrat like Wisconsin were targets of candidates Donald J. Trump and Hillary R. Clinton. The United States has a representative democracy rather than a direct democracy: Citizens elect representatives rather than voting on each bill. And thats not how it should be in a democracy. 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. But the national popular vote plan doesn't require a . (2021, Jun 14). The National Popular Vote plan is a bill passed by participating state legislatures agreeing that they will cast all of their electoral votes for the presidential candidate winning the nationwide popular vote.
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