Posted on 12/09/2012 4:20:26 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Officials in Virginia and Ohio, once reliably red states that have gone for President Obama in the past two elections, have discussed the idea of apportioning their electoral votes by congressional district — a system some say would more accurately reflect the will of the states’ voters but one that others dismiss as an unnecessary political ploy.
The talks come as demographic shifts have pushed the GOP’s reliable bastions to more exurban and rural areas, allowing Democrats to win such states by sufficiently running up their margins in a comparatively small number of densely-populated cities and counties.
To that end, Virginia state Sen. Charles W. Carrico Sr., Grayson Republican, has introduced a bill that would award one electoral vote to the winner of each of the state’s 11 congressional districts, and the state’s two at-large votes to the candidate that wins the majority of the districts.
Mr. Carrico cited the results in the southwestern 9th Congessional District — where Mitt Romney won 63 percent of the vote — as part of the reason he introduced the bill.
“People in my district — they feel discouraged by coming out because their votes don’t mean anything if they’re outvoted in metropolitan districts,” Mr. Carrico said. “It can go either way — it doesn’t necessarily mean that one political party is going to be favored over another. When they come out to vote, they know their vote counts instead of a winner-take-all. I’d love to see other states to do this because I don’t feel the Electoral College right now is a fair system.”
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Yeah, I was totally against this a month ago. But am willing to reconsider.
This would minimize the urban vote fraud running up the score.
I figured this out early during the year: if the Republican-controlled Purple States (FL, IA, MI, OH, PA, VA and WI) shift to the Maine-Nebraska Method, Mitt Romney would be a cinch to win. Sure enough, if they had, he would have been.
Here’s the deal (Michael Barone pointed this out when explaining why Obama was re-elected while the Republicans kept the House): Democrats are much more concentrated in inner city districts. Republicans are more evenly spread out in the suburbs, towns and rural areas of the country. Democrats win lots of districts with 75 percent or more the vote. We win many more districts with 55 to 65 percent of the vote.
As it is, vote fraud and voter intimidation is rift in the inner cities of the country. When that tips the balance in big states, it can be devastating to democracy.
I have been a fan of this idea for several years now, and would love to see all 50 states allocate their votes this way. It keeps any state from attaining excess importance, and keeps the cities from necessarily overwhelming their neighbors in the rest of their respective states. Also, the decentralization makes vote fraud that much more difficult to accomplish to any real effect. Outstanding idea, and I truly hope it catches on across the US!
I think you mean "rinos, conservatives, and/or republicans"
In Ohio, more democrats voted for congress than repubs, but we won 13 and the dems won 5 congressional seats because we gerry mandered the crap out of them.
Of course they did the same to us in NY, CA and IL.
And if this is, so there is one week's time before Dec 17 to change how the Electoral College votes in these states and stop Obama's re-election.
So, how do we make this thing happen?
Hasn't this been figured out yet by those in these states on OUR side who should be in the know?
FReegards!
The blue states won’t.
If the blue states don’t, then what advantage would it be for the red states like Texas? There is no way CA or NY or IL would ever agree to such a system.
Texas needs to do this, too!
Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio are heavily populated urban Democrat enclaves and do not represent the majority of the people in Texas, who are basically conservative regarding fiscal and social matters.
I’m not sure how the CD apportionment of EVs would be affected (there are 254 Counties in TX), but it WOULD give equal weight to the more rural districts with less population and fewer Democrats.
bump
Agree. If only red states switch, then the Dems will win nationally by even bigger electoral college margins.
“..... so there is one week’s time before Dec 17 to change how the Electoral College votes in these states and stop Obama’s re-election.
So, how do we make this thing happen?.....”
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You can’t make it happen for this year. Any change such as this would go into effect for the 2016 election, not the 2012 election.
Virginia Ping! If you want on or off the Virginia Ping List, please freepmail me.
I think you need to criticize them as well.
>If the RINOs can’t win through principles and issues then make it so you can win by changing the rules.<
Or, to look at this proposal another way, make it far less easy for a dishonest party to steal the election by fraud.
The non-northern, non-Tidewater parts of Virginia overwhelmingly came out for Romney. People in my county voted Romney by 60+ per cent margins.
"Who" or "what" says "can't"?
FReegards!
Yes indeed! If this were the case, even those of us behind enemy lines in states like the People's Democratic Socialist Republic of Illinois would have a voice.
“Who” or “what” says “can’t”?
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I think political realities say it can’t be retroactively effective and therefore any such changes wouldn’t be effective until the next election.
But who know, if Obama reveals his communist party and his Al Qaeda contract of service before the Electoral College convenes, it would be theoretically possible. I’m not holding my breath for that—but it’s a great idea for States such as Pennsylvania!
Depends on the “blue” states....some have Red controlled legislations and govs.
If a state is turning purple, like VA, I can see changing the way our electoral votes are determined. Here in NoVA, the Dems are dominating and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Eventually, VA will be a blue state when it comes to national and statewide elections. During this transition phase, it would be better to change.
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