But with the NPV Compact a change in party control of just one or two states could restore the old system of electing the president and then four years later it could be changed back. Longley, Robert. Mayors, governors, and senators are all elected by a simple majority. In fact, let's tally up all the votes cast for president between 1932 and 2008. The National Bonus Plan maintains the Electoral College voting system but adds 102 bonus electoral votes to the existing 538 votes. That means the cost of counting all the votes would be duplicated. Dont know what Ranked Choice Voting is? The National Popular Vote Plan. Here are the essential pros and cons of popular vote elections to examine. Weve already seen this issue take place with the GOP primaries in 2016. But the biggest problem with changing how we elect our president using the NPV Compact is that its too easy to change it back. That nightmare may seem like a pleasant dream if NPV has its way. Currently, the National Popular Vote bill has 172 electoral votes. On average, studies show that falls in line with historical averages showing around 60 percent of eligible voters casting a vote in presidential election years. 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. Note: Today we are in a phase where the popular vote in presidential elections leans Democratic. The National Popular Vote Bill is a bill for Americans interested in both preserving our Electoral College and reforming the shortcomings of our current "winner-take-all" system that awards all the electors of one state to the candidate who wins in that particular state and . 3. Robert Longley is a U.S. government and history expert with over 30 years of experience in municipal government and urban planning. 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. 4. 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. Either would likely produce an electoral vote count closer to the popular vote. A Critique of the National Popular Vote October 13, 2008 Policy Analysis No. The Electoral College was established in the Constitution to protect minority interests and mitigate the possibility of a regional candidate. Hillary Clinton, but won the electoral vote to become the 45thPresident of the United States. The NPV Interstate Compact does not eliminate the very complicated Electoral College system that most voters dont really understand. This has occurred in only four of the 58 presidential . Activating the National Popular Vote compact would reshape our . And finally, the Electoral College doesnt work today anywhere near how the Founding Fathers intended it to work when they created it back in 1787. 805 15th Street, NW, Suite 800 The alternative view of democracy is more complex; it is one that includes but is not limited to the pursuit of equality. 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. 2. Watch out! The National Popular Vote plan would eliminate what critics of the Electoral College system point to as the "winner-take-all" rule - the awarding all of a state's electoral votes to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in that state. 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. Do you have information you want to share with HuffPost? 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. How the National Popular Vote Plan Would Work. This brings us to 196 of the 270 (73%) electoral votes needed to activate the pact just 74 votes away. 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. When the Constitution was set in place in 1789, the U.S. elected its first president. a plan for a national popular vote could undermine the . Battleground states would disappear in U.S. elections. However that presumably rare exception happened in the 2000 election when Florida could not complete their statewide recount in time for the Electoral College deadline and the Supreme Court forced Florida to use their first vote count without a statewide recount. 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. That principle should be expanded to presidential elections. 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. The National Popular Vote effort, explained The National Popular Vote effort is now halfway to its goal of electing future presidents via the popular vote, after Rhode Island Gov. on WordPress.com. Disadvantages of the NPV Interstate Compact. 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. Just another site cons of the national popular vote plan . Just 12 Closely Divided Battleground States Got 96% of 2020 Campaign Events. 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. Under the system of proportional representation, any party with a high enough percentage of the vote will receive a seat in the government. Lawmakers discuss plan to enact National Popular Vote in Michigan. HuffPost's top politics stories, straight to your inbox. After the process, the President of the Senate reveals who has officially been voted in as President and Vice President of the United States. 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. More people live in urban regions, which means they would have a constant sway over the election. Pros & Cons of a National Popular Vote Buy Complete Issue $19.95 Login or Subscribe The National Popular Vote How would the interstate compact work? Under the electoral college system, if a state consistently pulls as leaning to one party, someone who supports the other party may not vote because they feel like there isnt a need to do so. Analyzes how william c. kimberling, the deputy director of the federal election commission, is a credible author over the issue. The electoral college leads to a heavy emphasis on swing states and also typically over-represents citizens in rural states. Although the 20th Amendment to the Constitution provides clarity to this situation, that process is based on the electoral college. 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. 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. 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. Probably the NPV Compact would be enacted into law with as little as a simple majority of the states and possibly even less. 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. Like most issues involving politics, the U.S. Constitution is largely silent on the political issues of presidential elections. Electoral votes are designated among the states based on Census. 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. For the 7 presidential elections between 1992-2016, the Republican candidate has won the Electoral college 3 times. 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. All other votes cast for that candidate are therefore superfluous. 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. Since 2008, 15 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws to adopt the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC), which is an multi-state agreement to commit electors to. This move would ensure that the Presidency would be given to the candidate that received the most popular votes all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Under the electoral college system, the candidates which receive the most votes in each state (or district) receive its assigned electoral votes. Most recently, the bill was passed by a bipartisan 4016 vote in the Republican-controlled Arizona House, 2818 in Republican-controlled Oklahoma Senate, 574 in Republican-controlled New York Senate, and 3721 in Democratic-controlled Oregon House." 6. This advance is referred to as the winner-take-all approach. 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. In states with large population centers, individual voters have less power than voters in smaller states. The bill has passed one chamber in 12 additional states with 96 electoral votes. 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. The National Popular Vote initiative transpired in 2006. 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. The National Popular Vote Bill is not a Democrat or Republican bill. 6. Definition and Examples, Learn How Many Total Electoral Votes There Are. The selection of presidential electors is specifically entrusted to the states by the Constitution. what connection type is known as "always on"? The National Popular Vote stems from the winner-take-all approach that validates the presidential candidate interactions with only 4 out of 50 dates during their campaign. 2. She graduated magna cum laude from Brandeis University with bachelor's degrees in creative writing, English/American literature and international studies. 1. In theory that could happen every four years. As a result, an agreement between a group of states to cast all of their electoral votes in a similar manner, as proposed by the National Popular Vote plan passes constitutional muster. This National Popular Vote Compact wouldn't take effect until states with 270 electors a majority joined in. It seeks to be a bulwark against mass hysteria and the hysteria created by mass media. 13 Early College High School Pros and Cons, 18 Major Advantages and Disadvantages of the Payback Period, 20 Advantages and Disadvantages of Leasing a Car, 19 Advantages and Disadvantages of Debt Financing, 24 Key Advantages and Disadvantages of a C Corporation, 16 Biggest Advantages and Disadvantages of Mediation, 18 Advantages and Disadvantages of a Gated Community, 17 Big Advantages and Disadvantages of Focus Groups, 17 Key Advantages and Disadvantages of Corporate Bonds, 19 Major Advantages and Disadvantages of Annuities, 17 Biggest Advantages and Disadvantages of Advertising. Richards earned a master's degree at Carnegie Mellon University. A faithless elector in the United States is someone who casts an electoral ballot for someone other than the individuals to whom they are pledged. Among the others: By its very size and scope, a national direct election will lead to nothing more than a national media campaign, which would propel the parties' media consultants to inflict upon the entire nation what has been heretofore limited to the so-called battleground states: an ever-escalating, distorted arms race of tit-for-tat unanswerable attack advertising polluting the airwaves, denigrating every candidate and eroding citizen faith in their leaders and the political process as a whole. The first advantage allows for electoral votes to be fairer than the Electoral College (Richards). As of July 2020, a National Popular Vote bill has been signed into law in 16 states controlling a total of 196 electoral votes, including 4 small states, 8 medium-sized states, 3 big states (California, Illinois, and New York), and the District of Columbia. Constitutional Amendment to Guarantee the Right to Vote for All U.S. Citizens. Steve Sisolak vetoed it. And that would lead to chaos in how political parties campaign for president and could also undermine the legitimacy of the process. It is also true that no president since 1824 has received the votes of a majority of the eligible voters and 18 presidents, including Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, Harry S. Truman, John. In theory we could change how we elect our president every four years. Security would be improved across the country. PBS: What does voter turnout tell us about the 2016 election. Do you have information you want to share with HuffPost. 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). (2020, December 16). But in practice it could happen every 10 or 20 years when the Electoral College votes change because the congressional boundaries change with the new population census. The popular vote eliminates this issue too. For more information, please see our 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 Evidence as to how a nationwide presidential campaign would be run can be found by examining the way presidential candidates currently campaign inside battleground states. These are the states that may go to either major party candidate in the election. Lincoln Chafee (D) made his state the latest to sign on. Resource allocation would be focused on paid advertising, which would negate the need for grassroots activities. 1, 2023 at 1:16 PM PST. On Dec. 22, 2016, the results were certified in all 50 states. What would happen during a switch to the popular vote would be unknown. In the case of a tie, there are contingencies in place to determine which person will serve in the elected office. 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. If the presidential election were switched to the popular vote, then it would only take about 35% of the vote for a candidate to win. It isnt impossible to pass a Constitutional amendment, though history shows that it is not an easy process to complete. During the 2012 elections, 38 states, also known as spectator states, were ignored and forgotten. 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. A popular vote system would significantly impact voters and turnout. And unlike direct elections, either would provide an incentive for grass-roots activity, coalition building and enhanced citizen participation. The one-vote approach does not align with the way the electoral votes operates. 8. mike matarazzo last photo. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. 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. Even the minority party wouldnt be encouraged to negotiate because they could simply stall until the next election. Common Cause 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). A majority of 270 electoral votes is required to elect the president. In summary, a popular vote is simply a vote in which the individual or issue with the most total votes from a population of voters is the winner. However, some critics argue that the advantages of a direct popular election including reflecting democratic principals, outweigh the disadvantages. April 8, 2016 National popular vote far better than Electoral College system for choosing presidents, Stanford professors say. Using a popular vote system, candidates could campaign regionally, targeting major areas of support, to secure enough votes to win an election. 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. 4. 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. According to the University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School, some proponents of the Electoral College argue that it isolates election problems, such as illegally extended voting hours or irregularly high voter turnout. every decade states are redistricted could be redrawn to capture house seats and corrupt the Presidential election Part of HuffPost Politics. The danger of NPV is that it will undermine the complex and vital underpinnings of American democracy. 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 (NPVIC) is an agreement among states and the District of Columbia to award their respective electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote of the presidential election. Although many supporters of the electoral college argue that a two-party political system is more stable, some critics counter that having more than two parties would give Americans more choice. It fails to reach the ideal of one-person one-vote. Imagine a scenario where a presidential candidate focuses on Los Angeles, New York City, Portland, OR and Seattle. 9. Ken Bickers. 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 thats not how it should be in a democracy. The Electoral College system, however imperfect, serves this broader view of democracy. In each instance the republic has survived, and democracy has prospered despite the challenges presented. According to the Constitution, the Electoral College is a compromise between election of the President by a vote in Congress and election of the President by a popular vote of qualified citizens (National Archives). With a popular vote in place, each election win would be decreed a mandate to follow the platform of the winning party. 15 states and Washington, D.C. have joined the National Popular Vote compact. "The National Popular Vote Plan." The Electoral College distorts presidential campaigns . The states that join the NPV Compact will not be able to certify their Electoral College Votes until all 50 states and DC certify their state popular votes and any mandated/requested recounts since the Compact state ECVs are dependent on the winner of the national popular vote and not just their own state popular votes. This divide creates natural divisions between groups of people who both support their country, but in different ways. National Popular Vote will create a single member district (all 50 states and D.C.), where the candidate with the most votes wins and . Candidates feel they either cant win or lose with the votes from these states. Image the country thinks it is going to elect the president by National Popular Vote and then changing back to using the old Electoral College/Winner-Take-All system just four months before an election. E pluribus unum -- out of many, one. In 2004, for example, candidates George W. Bush and John Kerry campaigned heavily in states such as Nevada while ignoring political issues in New York, a state that Kerry was sure to win, according to the University of the Pacific. 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. The cost of a presidential election in the United States is already several billion dollars. The Electoral College system - the way we really elect our president - has always had its detractors and lost even more public support after the 2016 election, when it became apparent that President-ElectDonald Trump might have lost the nationwide popular vote to Sec. The Pros and Cons of the Electoral College - SmartAsset The electoral college is a tradition of American politics that's fairly controversial. This feature is critical to the passionate bipartisan support the compact receives. That means every state is allowed a minimum of 3 electoral votes. With the polarization in global politics today, especially in the United States, a switch to the popular vote would likely increase costs even further. If that was to take place, America could potentially face the same issues it is facing now. Get breaking news and updates from Common Cause. The danger of NPV is that it will undermine the complex and vital underpinnings of American democracy. Is the National Popular Vote Plan Constitutional? Right now, the President of the United States is not elected by a popular vote. It has its pros and cons though, many of which critics debate over. 5. A close election would trigger the need for a full recount. . 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.

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