The Electoral College system has caused much controversy. A national popular vote would make sure no state is disadvantaged and every vote is equal. May 11, 2022 It creates an agreement among states to award all of their electoral votes collectively to the presidential candidate who wins the national popular vote. The NPVC does not dispense with the Electoral College, and is not a constitutional amendment. In 2016 swing states were key to Donald Trump's unexpected victory against Hillary Clinton. Senate legislative, executive, and judicial powers. A proposal has been made to restore the one person one vote principle without having to change the Constitution which involves an interstate compact. 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. As a result, the bill will take effect when enacted by states possessing an additional 74 electoral votes. This has Supporters of direct election advanced another option in 2006, the National Popular Vote (NPV) plan. But were closer to that than you might think 15 states and the District of Columbia have already signed on, providing 196 electoral votes of the needed 270. NPV is a plan to change how we elect our president. Rather, it is based on two clear powers given to the states under the Constitution: the power under Article 2 May reduce the overall costs of an election. San Diego Union-Tribune. of individual or persons who is/ are employed in order to convince or persuade the legislatures (i.e. Referendum campaigns engage national publics, often passive and sometimes actively excluded, in the business of political debate and decision-making. State and District of Columbia Appointment of Electors. Legal scholars have argued that NPV violates sections two and five of the 1965 Voting Rights Act and Equal Protection under the Fourteenth Amendment. Signing onto the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact offers no more security than the current system, which will likely hinder its ability to gain traction. The National Popular Vote Compact (NPVC) guarantees election of the presidential candidate who earns the greatest number of votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. General public is used to this concept. Joe Biden won the popular vote by a margin of about 7 million votes and 4.5 percentage points overall (51.4% of all votes cast across the country were for Biden, 46.9% for Trump). This would bypass the electoral college system through a multi-state compact enacted by the states. An individuals vote doesnt make a difference when it is counted against the votes of the delegates in the House of Representatives and Senate. Reduces voter participation by creating a my vote doesnt matter feeling. Majority of states ' electoral votes decides the winner of the election. National popular vote plan cons pros andthe electoral college system remains an act, namely by means. The National Popular Vote initiative transpired in 2006. According to information on the NPVIC website, as of August 20, 2019, there are a total of 196 electoral votes committed to the NPVIC by 15 states through legislation (the National Popular Vote Bill). Consider the following points. As has been shown by analyses of multiple past elections, the Electoral College does favors one major party over another. Rebecca West (18921983) No method nor discipline can supersede the necessity of being forever on the alert. District Plan. Electoral College Pros and Cons The 2016 presidential election was an example of the discrepancy between the Electoral College votes and the national popular votes. To the 187 republican votes, this gave democrats the upper hand in the prediction. Likewise, the winner of the popular vote is variable. The National Popular Vote Plan would guarantee that the presidency would be won by the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and D.C. The potential for the electoral college to conflict with the result of the popular vote is one of the most commonly cited arguments against the electoral college. There were at least 752 known proposals to change the electoral system from 1789 to 2017, according to the Congressional Research Service. The National Popular Vote Compact has no minimum percentage for a candidate to be declared the National Popular Vote Winner. At that time, every voter in the country will acquire a direct vote for a group of at least 270 presidential electors supporting their choice for President. Pros: No winner of popular vote losing overall Cons: Smaller states don't get as much of a say and people would demand a national recount National Bonus Plan. All in all, the Electoral College causes many problems that seem unfair to American voters during such an important election. Vast swaths of the country are ignored. One of the most successful of these is a planalready adopted by the legislatures of 11 states (with 165 electoral votes)to award all A candidate can win the popular vote in enough states to win a majority of electoral votes but still lose the popular vote nationally. The compact comes into effect when states with a majority of presidential electors sign on. 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. The National Popular Vote plan would only go into effect once states representing the majority of the Electoral College (270 of 538 electoral votes) have enacted the bill. Though he lost the national popular vote by 2.9 million, and Clinton won 48 percent of the overall US popular vote while Trump won 45.9 percent, Trump gained 304 Electoral College votes by capitalizing on narrow wins in swing states. It came under heavy criticism after the 2016 presidential election. Currently, 48 of the 50 states follow the winner-take-all rule. Recently, several states have adopted a plan that would effectively eliminate the Electoral College without an amendment. A popular vote system would significantly impact voters and turnout. Total: 538 electoral college votes; 270 votes constitute a majority. Under a national popular vote, Colorado can stay blue, as its been since 2004, and still contribute enough popular votes to help elect a Republican to the White House. Sixteen states plus D.C. have joined the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, through which they have pledged to commit their electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote regardless of who wins in their state. Every few years the "purple america" picture makes the rounds showing that the red/blue country divide is not as stark as the election map forces on the public psyche. House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers (D-MI) hosted a forum with other Democratic members ib the possibility of Fifteen states and Washington, D.C., have signed on to date, representing 196 of the 270 votes necessary to secure the presidency (and the threshold at which the agreement takes effect). This paper was a precursor to a chapter I later wrote in Gary Bugh's 2010 book Electoral College Reform. Aggregate national popular vote leads to the final outcome of the electoral college. Must be approved by Congress x27 ; groups say the bail-out, looks for for! 18 Pros and Cons of Popular Vote. The two main political parties can count on winning the electoral votes in certain states, such as California for the Democratic Party and Indiana for the Republican Party, without worrying about the actual popular vote totals. Direct popular vote would create other issues. Relying on the states constitutional authority to appoint electors, NPV would commit This would prevent one large, populous state from overly swaying a national election. NPV seeks to ensure that the presidential candidate who wins the most popular votes nationwide is elected president. It would create a bonus of 102 electoral votes (two for each state and the District of Columbia) to be awarded to the winner of a plurality of the national popular vote. One interesting side effect would be starting to remove the red state/ blue state narrative. The use of the popular vote at the state and district level has not always resulted in the winner of the national popular vote capturing the presidency. Why states should adopt the National Popular Vote plan for president. National Popular Vote - Pros and Cons. The allotment of the extra votes would almost always ensure that the person who wins the popular vote would also win the Electoral College. There have been five times in US history when a candidate won the popular vote but did not win the Electoral College and therefore lost the election. WHY THE NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE PLAN IS THE WRONG WAY TO ABOLISH THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE David Gringer Perhaps no constitutional provision is as controversial as the electoral college. The principal flaw in the plan is its assumption that under the plan there will still be only two major parties competing for the presidency in 2020. Why National Popular Vote Is a Bad Idea The appeal of NPV is the simplicity of its message. There are pros and cons to both systems. National popular vote plan cons pros andthe electoral college system remains an act, namely by means. Pros and Cons of Lobbyists in the Us. Leads to weaker relationship between voters and representatives. direct popular vote pros and cons. In two of the last five presidential elections, closely-contested races were awarded to the loser of the national popular vote due to narrow statewide popular direct popular vote pros and cons; white nike cleats football. In short, what remains under the law provides all voters, including young voters, with an equal and ample opportunity to participate in the political process. Some critics argue that more people would vote in a direct popular election, according to the University of the Pacific. What happens when no candidate receives even 40% of the popular vote? Critics say that abolishing the Electoral College would diminish the National Bonus Plan: This idea, proposed by historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr., retains the current Electoral College system, but also awards extra electoral votes as a bonus to the winner of the popular vote. However, a popular vote system, although hard to implement, is a more purely democratic system than the Electoral College. Winner of popular vote gets extra 102 electoral votes Pros: No winner of popular vote losing overall Cons: Basically exactly like the Direct plan. Con 1 The Electoral College gives too much power to swing states and allows the presidential election to be decided by a handful of states. Under the Electoral College system, voters in states that are overwhelmingly in support of one candidate might feel like their vote is unimportant. For example, in 2012 Wisconsin, who has ten electoral college votes had Obama win their state with 53% percent of the vote while Romney had just 46% the other 1% going to other candidates.In our current system Obama got all ten votes The president-elect will be the candidate receiving the most popular votes in all 50 states and D.C. Connecticuts seven electoral votes will One reform proposal also a huge mistake would be to have a runoff election. Gerrymandering is harmful to elections. Support the popular vote and the district plan pros and cons you if you IDEA: What every Parent ( educator. Eliminates vote wastage, prevents gerrymandering and may reduce malapportionment. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, "U.S. Scottish citizens will The pros and cons of public referendums. Winner of the Esse out an on-site renovation that would have The concept of Electoral College may lead to social tensions. Proponents of the National Popular Vote fail to understand the most basic facts about the American presidential electoral system. Gives too few states too much electoral power. According to a March 2020 poll from the Pew Research Center, 58% of Americans back a national pop - ular vote, up from 51% in a poll immediately following the 2016 election. For more information, read the top 3 pros and cons of using the electoral college. Through the National Popular Vote compact, states pledge to award all their electoral support to the winner of the popular national tally. Under the plan, each state signs a compact to award all its electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the national popular vote. Cons: Can disregard the will of the majority. The goal of the Electoral College was to improve equality in voting on a national level. The 102 extra electoral votes are calculated from allotting two votes for every state and for Washington, D.C. Gerrymandering is the act of redrawing congressional districts in a way that favors one group or another. By Jon S. Cardin September 2007. May 17th 2009. This paper looks at the history of Maine's enactment of the district plan for electoral college elector allocation. Electors would represent congressional districts and support the popular vote winner in their district.The District Plan. The NPV plan is a state statute in the form of an interstate compact. Pro: Meets all of major objections to other present system. National Popular Vote; Fair Voting/Proportional Representation; Right to Vote Amendment; Pros and cons of a top-two primary. The National Popular Vote interstate compact will go into effect when enacted by states possessing a majority of the electoral votesthat is, enough to elect a President (270 of 538). In the 1860 Election, the percentages of the popular vote were as follows: Lincoln (39.8%), Douglas (29.5%), Breckinridge (18.1%), and Bell (12.6%). This is done by the state legislature, and is designed to favor their own party. Unlike simple congressional district comparisons, the district plan popular vote bonus in the 2008 election would have given Obama 56% of the Electoral College versus the 68% he did win; it "would have more closely approximated the percentage of the popular vote won [53%]". Makes it harder for populists to enter the political landscape. Additionally, under the Electoral College system, electoral outcomes can undermine the popular vote. The NPVIC would go into effect if states representing at least 270 electoral college votes adopt the legislation. The plan would abolish the office of elector, and the electoral votes would be cast automatically. It would limit the influence of local issues in the election. The National Bonus Plan was proposed by historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. the elected members of parliament) in order to vote in favor of a bill or law that will favor the majority of citizens or the employers of the lobbyists. Electoral reform efforts often reflect the political anxieties of the time. The First Danger of National Popular Vote. amendments by Article V of the Constitution. NPV opponents argue that (1) it would undermine the authority of states under the Constitution and the Founders intention that presidential elections should be both national and federal contests; (2) it is an admitted end run around the Proportional representation systems solely those that direct popular election was in their actions of pros: a state meet on paid better! Those who would abolish the Electoral College advocate using a simple majority vote rule, i.e., the candidate receiving fifty percent plus of the popular vote is the victor. Pro #1: It keeps smaller states relevant in national politics. Imagine a U.S. presidential with no electoral college. If only the popular vote mattered, candidates might concentrate their energies on densely populated metro areas like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. The Electoral College is a body of electors established by the United States Constitution, which forms every four years for the sole purpose of electing the president and vice president of the United States. But there would be drawbacks to a national vote. National popular vote far better than Electoral College system for choosing presidents, Stanford professors say. The danger of NPV is that it will undermine the complex and vital underpinnings of In 1800, representatives debated a national plan to award electoral votes based on popular vote victories by congressional district. The National Bonus Plan. The National Popular Vote plan does not affect the amount of power that state governments possess relative to the federal government. In an attempt to balance the voting power of states with varying populations, the electoral college vote per state is predetermined. Only Nebraska and Maine do not. Famous quotes containing the words district and/or method: Most works of art, like most wines, ought to be consumed in the district of their fabrication. problems with the national popular vote plan Because of the problematic nature of the Electoral College system for electing the President, many constitutional amendments have been proposed to modify or replace it. It needs an additional 75 electoral votes to go into effect. The National Popular Vote bill would guarantee the Presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia (Explanation). direct popular vote pros and consevergreen shrubs for shade. Republican Donald Trump lost the nationwide popular vote to Democrat Hillary Clinton by over 2.8 million votes but won the Electoral College therefore the presidency by 74 electoral votes. It has been enacted into law by 15 states and DC with 195 electoral votes (Map of states). Winner of popular vote always the winner of electoral vote The National Popular Vote Initiative (NPV) Congressional Research Service 2 Proponents of the National Popular Vote initiative contend that their plan will achieve direct popular election while circumventing the requirements of Article V, and will guarantee that the popular vote winners will always be elected President and Vice President. This National Popular Vote Compact wouldnt take effect until states with 270 electors a majority joined in. The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) is an interstate compact to award member states' presidential electors to the candidate that receives the most votes nationwide. Necessity for recounts would be more likely in a popular vote system. For example, in the instance of a 38-37-25 percent split among three candidates in a states popular vote, a state with 10 electoral votes might split them 4-4-2. The proportional plan is where a state's electoral college votes are distributed based on the proportion of the vote their party received. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2013/11/12/most-americans With two elections out of the last 5 (as of 2016) having an Electoral College winner not winning the popular vote, the pros and cons of this system are frequently debated. Individual states agree to pledge their electors to the winner of the national popular vote, provided that enough other states follow suit. Bigger influence of minorities. There have been numerous times where the candidate with the popular vote has lost because of the states power. The Electoral College consists of 538 electors, and an absolute majority of electoral votes, 270 or more, is required to win the election. DISADVANTAGES. As of December 2021, 15 states and Washington, D.C., had adopted legislation Document 7 has the 2016 Presidential Election Electoral Vote Map and Projection, it had the democrats winning 237 electoral votes. The amount suggested by Schlesinger in his National Bonus Plan is 102 extra electoral votes (two for every state and two for Washington, DC). In 1961, the 23 rd Amendment provided for three What this means is in a 3-way race a candidate could win with 35% of the popular vote or even less. This agreement takes effect only once the participating states together hold a majority of electoral votes (270 of 538)--guaranteeing that the winner of the Under Article II, Section 1, Clause 2 of the Constitution, as amended by the 12 th Amendment in 1804, each state is required to appoint electors in the manner directed by its state legislature. May 14th 2009. When a popular vote To understand if the top-two primary plan might result in more competitive races, I examined elections in the state of Washington, which used the top-two primary for its 2008 state legislative elections.