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Electoral Initiative Would Add An Interesting Twist (Larger National GOP EC Majorities Alert)
Orange County Register ^ | 08/25/2007 | Dena Burns

Posted on 08/27/2007 9:33:59 AM PDT by goldstategop

So if this initiative were to get on the ballot and pass, it would mean that even if the state continued to vote for a Democrat for president, as it has for the past four elections, a Republican would still get some electoral votes. Under this method, Bush would have gotten 19 in 2000 and Gore 35. In 2004, Bush would have gotten 22 electoral votes and Kerry 33.

Democrats are furious over the prospect of a district by district scheme.

They say that unless such a change was made in every state in the union, it would be unfair and would virtually guarantee a Republican president from here on in.

Currently only two states – Nebraska and Maine – apportion their Electoral College votes based on congressional districts. Maine has been doing it that way since 1972 and Nebraska since 1996. Neither state has ever split its Electoral College votes. Maine's four have gone to the Democrat and Nebraska's five to the Republican.

Some Republicans are concerned that if the ballot initiative were to pass here, Democrats might try to get similar measures adopted in states that would be favorable to them. I wondered about that and crunched the numbers for the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections.

Neither outcome would have changed. In fact, Bush would have won by larger margins.

In 2004 Bush had 286 electoral votes; Kerry 252. Under the district by district method, Bush would have gotten 323; Kerry 213.

And in 2000, Bush had 271 electoral votes; Gore 266. A district by district count would have given Bush 291 votes; Gore 244.

(Excerpt) Read more at ocregister.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: california; calinitiatives; democraticparty; denaburns; districtformula; electoralcollege; electoralvote; gop; hiltachk; hltachkinitiative; orangecountyregister; presidentialelection
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No wonder the Democrats are running scared - a switch to a District formula basis such as that in the proposed Hltatchk initiative would guarantee larger Electoral College majorities for a GOP candidate. It would put the White House out of reach for the Democrats. The reason: they do well in a few urban areas that allow them to carry ALL the electoral votes in a state under the current winner take all formula but they don't win a majority of congressional districts. That's where the DF formula nullifies the Democrats' competitiveness. Just crunch the math.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

1 posted on 08/27/2007 9:34:03 AM PDT by goldstategop
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To: goldstategop

It’s a bad idea for anyone who supports states rights. Even though this would help Republicans, doing away with “winner takes all” is a step toward popular vote election.


2 posted on 08/27/2007 9:40:16 AM PDT by rhombus
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To: goldstategop

Boy I hope this passes. But then again it has been unfair that Cali’s EVs have been at the will of a few cities on the pacific. Just like it’s been unfair that Pennsylvania’s dem EVs have been made possible by the Pittsburgh area and the New York EBs by NYC.

But, California is big enough to be it’s own country, so this would do the most to level the playing field.


3 posted on 08/27/2007 9:41:15 AM PDT by Tears of a Clown
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To: goldstategop

So this is a good Republican strategy. This way, if Dems. want to have this happen in every state, not just Calif, then the Republicans would have done even better.

Maybe this is why Dianne Feinstein recently said, just scrap the Electoral College and have direct popular election of the Pres. and VP.


4 posted on 08/27/2007 9:42:53 AM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: goldstategop
They say that unless such a change was made in every state in the union, it would be unfair and would virtually guarantee a Republican president from here on in.

Until they step up their level of corruption in the elections systems.

5 posted on 08/27/2007 9:43:59 AM PDT by sionnsar (trad-anglican.faithweb.com |Iran Azadi| 5yst3m 0wn3d - it's N0t Y0ur5 (SONY) | UN: Useless Nations)
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To: rhombus

actually it a big step for states rights. The state, not the feds have the say so in how the votes are divided. In fact it supports the 10th amendment in that the constitution does not mention the means of distribution of electoral votes, only the means of determining the number. As for elimination of the electoral college,that would take an amendment to do and is unlikely as this has been the subject for debate for decades and no majority against has ever occurred.


6 posted on 08/27/2007 9:48:45 AM PDT by Biggs of Michigan
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To: rhombus
It’s a bad idea for anyone who supports states rights

If the states decide, to do it, what's the problem?

I thought (silly me) that states were allowed to decide how they apportion their vote, some states will be all or nothing, some won't, they will act on what is best for them.

My understanding is that California residents feel like candidates come to fund raise, then disappear to states that "Matter" because they are a known entity. This means candidates will have to spend time there, which is good for them.

Not that it matters, I say let them do what they want, besides, it's constitutional, Grin.
7 posted on 08/27/2007 9:48:55 AM PDT by DelphiUser ("You can lead a man to knowledge, but you can't make him think")
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To: rhombus

Well as long as they don’t force it upon other states-let california do what it wants if they want to keep it the same-fine, if they want to go a congressional district aportionment-fine..


8 posted on 08/27/2007 9:49:01 AM PDT by JSDude1 (Republicans if the don't beware ARE the new WHIGS! (all empty hairpieces..) :).)
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To: rhombus

It IS states’ rights. The Constitution mandates only an electoral college with seats apportioned between the states, with each state choosing how those votes are cast.


9 posted on 08/27/2007 9:49:35 AM PDT by mak5
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To: JSDude1

Direct popular election will probably never happen, because the electoral college and electoral vote system is written right into the constitution. So it would take a constitutional amendment to get rid of it entirely.

But that wouldn’t stop efforts to change how states give their electoral votes to presidential candidates.


10 posted on 08/27/2007 9:52:04 AM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: Dilbert San Diego
Maybe this is why Dianne Feinstein recently said, just scrap the Electoral College and have direct popular election of the Pres. and VP.

Study that one real hard. Without the EV, the red states would be discounted...The Big Cities, read Blue, would rule supreme. The Founding Fathers knew what they were doing.

Think on this: Hitlery is determined to kill the EV. That should tell you all you need to know.

OTHH, My state, Maine, does have the District formula and splits the EV's according to the district votes. This at least gives the republican voters some say.

11 posted on 08/27/2007 9:56:24 AM PDT by maine-iac7 ( "...but you can't fool all of the people all the time." LINCOLN)
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To: mak5

Yes I see the point. One would think those clamoring for popular vote election of Presidents would accept this rather than putting forward plans to award electors based on a national popular vote...but that would be states rights too I suppose since it is the state making the decision to do this. Nonetheless, I doubt the founders had anticipated either plan.


12 posted on 08/27/2007 10:02:07 AM PDT by rhombus
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To: Dilbert San Diego

I never would advocate for Direct Election, but if states want to go the conressional distric appotionment;let them..

that isn’s unconstiutionl, and doesn’t disenfrachise anyone the way direct elections would.


13 posted on 08/27/2007 10:03:26 AM PDT by JSDude1 (Republicans if the don't beware ARE the new WHIGS! (all empty hairpieces..) :).)
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To: rhombus; goldstategop
It’s a bad idea for anyone who supports states rights. Even though this would help Republicans, doing away with “winner takes all” is a step toward popular vote election.

Actually it's not. It would make the electoral college function closer to the way it originally worked before 19th century big city machine bosses got the legislatures to switch to the winner take all format to enhance the power of big cities in national politics. What scares the hell out of the DemocRATs is that much of their national electorate is concentrated in congressional districts designed to elect radical leftist congressmen with 80% or 90%+ proportions of the vote. They would have to abandon much of their agenda to appeal to the marginal congressional district.

It's not surprising that the former mayor of San Francisco is upset that radical left wing big cities would have less national clout. But this was intended by design. Alexander Hamilton understood this perfectly. You should read the federalist papers, especially #68.

14 posted on 08/27/2007 10:10:13 AM PDT by Paleo Conservative
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To: goldstategop
I'm curious to see what a district-by-district, plus 2 more votes to the popular vote winner of a state, EV count would've been in the past several elections.

I view this as a state's rights issue (OK, state's powers, as they can't have rights, not being individuals). From that narrow standpoint, it is OK. I'm not so sure of the wisdom of this (even if it would be tremendously advantageous to Republicans in Cali and NY). It comes dangerously close to effectively eliminating the Electoral College (even though literally doing so is almost impossible, given that it requires an Amendment), which is what the Dems seem to want (for now, until one of their candidates wins the EV and loses the popular vote).

15 posted on 08/27/2007 10:10:47 AM PDT by Ancesthntr
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To: goldstategop

You know that if the Democrats don’t like it, it must be a good thing.


16 posted on 08/27/2007 10:19:13 AM PDT by Old Retired Army Guy
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To: Biggs of Michigan
In fact it supports the 10th amendment in that the constitution does not mention the means of distribution of electoral votes, only the means of determining the number.

But the US Constitution does have specific wording that the state legislature determines the selection method for electors. It's arguable whether or not an initiative, rather than a legislative act, can be used to change that method. I'd expect that the initiative sponsors have already considered this point but I don't know what their conclusions may have been.

17 posted on 08/27/2007 10:21:12 AM PDT by Bob
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To: Ancesthntr

I don’t see this plan as effectively eliminating the Electoral College. On the contrary, I see this as making it more representative of the people who are voting.

The Electoral College is after all, a legislature that sits for a single purpose. It is far from archaic. It is the most modern and innovative method for choosing a national executive. Currently, due to the winner take all system, the College represents only the states (except for Maine and Nebraska). A change would make it represent both the states and the people and would thus parallel the Congress, as intended.


18 posted on 08/27/2007 10:25:05 AM PDT by cotton1706
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To: Biggs of Michigan
In fact it supports the 10th amendment in that the constitution does not mention the means of distribution of electoral votes, only the means of determining the number.

Actually the Constitution specifically states that the legislatures of the states decide how the electoral votes for their states are distributed.

19 posted on 08/27/2007 10:25:06 AM PDT by VRWCmember (Fred Thompson 2008! Taking America Back for Conservatives!)
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To: rhombus

Well, two states already do partial apportionment of their electoral votes. And I don’t think adopting this rule would really hurt the smaller states, or states rights.

I do agree that unless a good number of states adopt it at once, a single state doing so could really throw things off.

Remember, Colorado tried to do this in 2004, but the voters rejected it. In the end it wouldn’t have mattered, but it would have cost Bush 4 electoral votes.

On the other hand, if Florida had this rule in 2000, Gore wouldn’t have been compelled to fight so hard for the few hundred extra votes, because it wouldn’t have changed the results (no district would have switched, and the two extra “senate” electoral votes wouldn’t have been enough to change the outcome).

The beauty of the electoral college is that it does allow disputes over votes to be confined to small areas. A popular vote for President would mean that in a close race a candidate would have to fight for recounts in all 50 states, with the EC they only have to contest close states.

With a district-by-district apportionment, they’d only have to fight over close districts.

On the other hand, there might be a lot more close districts than there are close states, so maybe there would be more fighting, not less.


20 posted on 08/27/2007 10:27:54 AM PDT by CharlesWayneCT
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