A direct popular election also ensures that citizens' votes have equal weight. The years-old effort is slowly making its way through state legislatures in hopes of changing the way 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. Rebekah Richards is a professional writer with work published in the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution," "Brandeis University Law Journal" and online at tolerance.org. In 2016, Hillary Clinton had more than 10 million of these votes, while Donald Trump had more than 8.3 million, even though Trump won 30 states and Clinton won 20 and the District of Columbia. 1. However, in the popular vote, Trump only received 62,984,825 votes against Hillary Clinton's 65,853,516 popular votes. Note: Today we are in a phase where the popular vote in presidential elections leans Democratic. Heres how. As a result, the bill will take effect when enacted by states possessing an additional 74 electoral votes. Unexpected emergencies would be difficult to handle. That principle should be expanded to presidential elections. I fear that most, if not all, of the states signing onto the NPV Compact will be just blue states. In addition, the bill has been unanimously approved at the committee level in the states of Georgia and Missouri, controlling a combined 27 electoral votes. 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. Even the minority party wouldnt be encouraged to negotiate because they could simply stall until the next election. 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. Lawmakers discuss plan to enact National Popular Vote in Michigan. Without any sort of broad support, the politics of the country could become even more fractured than they already are. 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. https://www.thoughtco.com/the-national-popular-vote-plan-3322047 (accessed March 4, 2023). You can use essay samples to find ideas and inspiration for your paper. 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. The National Popular Vote plan does not do away with the Electoral College system, an action that would require a constitutional amendment. That would give the Compact states only 3 days( and two of those days were weekend days) to certify their state votes. 4. The first advantage allows for electoral votes to be fairer than the Electoral College (Richards). 5. Part of HuffPost Politics. Wyoming had just 3 electoral votes, but only had 255,000 voters as well. 2015. It happened once, in 1876. Do you have information you want to share with HuffPost? Advantages of the NPV Interstate Compact 1. In U.S. history, there has been one vice-presidential candidate who died after being nominated and one that withdrew from their partys ticket. If that was to take place, America could potentially face the same issues it is facing now. Bosque de Palabras In contrast, other issues related to the federal government are not exclusively entrusted to the states, and therefore the states lack the power to alter them. That means the cost of counting all the votes would be duplicated. However, this also means that regions with a quite low population density will almost have no influence on the election outcome at all since they only have far too few votes to make a real difference. Using a popular vote system, candidates could campaign regionally, targeting major areas of support, to secure enough votes to win an election. Many cities and school districts, under threat of a lawsuit by a Malibu attorney, have already adopted or are in the process of changing to district elections rather than remaining citywide or . List of the Cons of Using the Popular Vote 1. 7. 6. 2. on Advantages and Disadvantages of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, Follow All U.S. Citizens Should Vote. 5. In states with large population centers, individual voters have less power than voters in smaller states. They have only won the popular vote once. As with other powers entrusted to the states, it is an application, not a circumvention, of the Constitution when the states utilize those powers as they see fit. It would eliminate the Congressional provisions for a non-majority election. 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. The country could become less stable and divided if he or she did not have a vast amount of support (Richards). 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 . Constitutional Amendment to Guarantee the Right to Vote for All U.S. Citizens. Weve already seen this issue take place with the GOP primaries in 2016. If a popular vote were allowed to declare a winner instead, it wouldnt be through a state-by-state counting of electoral votes. The Supreme Court has said in local and state elections voting should be based on the principle of one person one vote. NCSL's experts are here to answer your questions and give you unbiased, comprehensive information as soon as you need it on issues facing state legislatures. That would increase the amount of polarization being experienced in politics today because there would be less of a need to compromise. 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. During the 2012 elections, 38 states, also known as spectator states, were ignored and forgotten. 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. Because a direct election would be, by definition, national and resource allocation would be overwhelmingly dominated by paid television advertising, there would be little impetus for grass-roots activity. 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. Menu burger Close thin Facebook Twitter Google plus Linked in Reddit Email arrow-right-sm arrow-right Loading Home Buying Calculators In 2016, Gary Johnson received 4.48 million votes and 0 electoral votes, but the potential is always there for this to happen. As a result, the percentage of popular votes secured by Donald Trump was just 46.4% in comparison with Hilary Clinton, who secured 48.5% of the votes. A popular vote structure would virtually eliminate the idea of a third-party candidate having a chance in an election. The bill has crossed paths with 36 legislative chambers and has been sponsored or voted for by 3,112 state legislators (National Popular Vote). and our 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. For example: States already have the power to award their electors to the winner of the national popular vote, although this would be disadvantageous to the state that did so unless it was joined simultaneously by other states that represent a majority of electoral votes. 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. This text is available online and is used for gudiance and inspiration, We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. Bush and Al Gore (Black). A candidate could be elected without the popular vote. 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. Only Nebraska and Maine do not. Either would likely produce an electoral vote count closer to the popular vote. It is perhaps the most simplistic form of an election. Here are the essential pros and cons of popular vote elections to examine. In Maine, both houses of the legislature passed the bill in 2019, but it failed at the final enactment step. Currently, candidates focus more on swing and battleground states to help them gain those electoral votes. 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. Under the current structure of the electoral college, the focus of a presidential campaign is on the so-called battleground states. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. The states would implement this plan once enough states controlling 270 electoral votes have signed on, guaranteeing that the national popular vote winner will win the presidency.. 10 Apr. After all, the Electoral College makes it possible that a candidate who wins the majority of the votes could still lose the election. A popular vote system would significantly impact voters and turnout. 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. Because of the winner-take-all rule, a candidate can be elected president without winning the most popular votes nationwide. However, some critics argue that the advantages of a direct popular election including reflecting democratic principals, outweigh the disadvantages. In each instance the republic has survived, and democracy has prospered despite the challenges presented. 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. Longley, Robert. There would be fewer opportunities to illegally alter the results of 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. The only election in the United States which is not governed by the popular vote is the presidential election. And thats not how it should be in a democracy. Today, the fact that Nebraska and Maine do not use the winner-take-all system serves as proof that modifying the Electoral College system, as proposed by the National Popular Vote plan is constitutional and does not require a constitutional amendment. 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. . 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. It knows that a majoritarianism that produces a plurality is not the voice of a majority of the citizenry. This was the intent of the Founding Fathers. Definition and Examples, How Political Party Convention Delegates are Chosen, What Is a Caucus? Probably the NPV Compact would be enacted into law with as little as a simple majority of the states and possibly even less. The Electoral College is very undemocratic and riddled with issues. 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. 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. Our state will likely vote overwhelmingly for the Republican challenger to Barack Obama in November. 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. 15 states and Washington, D.C. have joined the National Popular Vote compact. A shift of a relative handful of votes in one or two states would have elected the second-place candidate in six of the last 12 presidential elections. There are a number of pros for this method. In contrast, in a direct popular election, each vote matters equally. 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. Like most issues involving politics, the U.S. Constitution is largely silent on the political issues of presidential elections. In countries where the concept of popular votes is in place, every vote has an equal weight regarding the election outcome. On Dec. 22, 2016, the results were certified in all 50 states. That structure makes it easier for extremist views to find official representation. When the Constitution was set in place in 1789, the U.S. elected its first president. After all, is said and done, the candidate who attains the largest number of votes can still lose. An electoral college would solve . 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. "The National Popular Vote Plan." But sometime in the future the popular vote will change back and lean Republican. In the 2020 election California did not certify their votes until Friday, December 11, only 3 days before the Electoral College met on Monday, December, 14. National Popular Vote is a constitutional and practical way to implement nationwide popular election of the President a goal traditionally supported by an overwhelming majority of Americans. Just 12 Closely Divided Battleground States Got 96% of 2020 Campaign Events. It isnt impossible to pass a Constitutional amendment, though history shows that it is not an easy process to complete. I will explain that in another blog post. 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. Hillary Clinton, but won the electoral vote to become the 45thPresident of the United States. The plan would not get rid of the Electoral College. This advance is referred to as the winner-take-all approach. That nightmare may seem like a pleasant dream if NPV has its way. Richards earned a master's degree at Carnegie Mellon University. The Electoral College is made up of 538 electors and a majority of 270 electoral votes is mandatory to nominate the President. That would likely reduce the number of voters who cast a ballot in each election as most people are more concerned about local impacts than national policies. The National Popular Vote Bill is not a Democrat or Republican bill. The winner-take-all rule is not required by the Constitution and was actually used by only three states in the nation's first presidential election in 1789. The Electoral College distorts presidential campaigns . If enacted by enough states, 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. Thats a bank of about 14 million potential voters that reliably vote as a majority for Democratic candidates. 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. National Popular Vote values rural and urban voters equally. In the 2016 election, only 58 percent of eligible voters went to the polls. That, in turn, would likely diminish voter turnout. This has occurred in 5 of the nation's 56 presidential elections, most recently in 2016. 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. 6. In the case of a tie, there are contingencies in place to determine which person will serve in the elected office. It sees a healthy and vibrant democracy needing the underpinnings of civil society that rests on the sustained and active engagement of the citizenry and promotes approaches that seek to maximize that involvement. Samploon is a database of free essay samples. First it would be relatively easy to implement. The National Bonus Plan was proposed by historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. 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. But we're 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. Under the electoral college, the majority votes of states assign electoral votes to a candidate, which then creates a majority total required for a victory. A popular vote election takes all ballots that are cast, counts them, and declares the winner based on who received the most 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. Join the thousands across the country who instantly rally when there is a threat to our democracy. The NPVIC is an agreement among states designed to guarantee election of the presidential candidate who wins the most popular votes in the 50 states and Washington, D.C. NPV is grounded in two powers delegated to states by the Constitution: the power to design rules for awarding their electoral votes and the power to enter into interstate It could encourage voter turnout. Would you like to get a custom essay? It makes things easier for extreme parties to gain representation. The winner would receive one vote per congressional district won with the winner of the state popular vote gaining a two electoral votes. "The National Popular Vote bill would guarantee the Presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in the entire U.S. Here are the Cons of the Electoral College 1. 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. It gives each vote an equal amount of power. Around six-in-ten U.S. adults (63%) say the way the president is elected should be changed so that the winner of the popular vote nationwide wins the presidency, while 35% favor keeping the current Electoral College system, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted June 27-July 4, 2022. And unlike direct elections, either would provide an incentive for grass-roots activity, coalition building and enhanced citizen participation. Advantage: Encourages Voter Turnout Electoral votes are designated among the states based on Census. What would happen during a switch to the popular vote would be unknown. 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. In U.S. history, the electoral college winner has failed to secure the popular vote 5 times. 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. The country thinks we are going to elect the president using the Electoral College/Winner-Take-All system tans and then four months before the election we change to the National Popular Vote Compact system and elect the president by whoever gets the most popular votes. 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. In theory we could change how we elect our president every four years. Explains kimberling, william c., and dave leip's . 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. Nevada passed the legislation in 2019, but Gov. Their vote only counts at the local level, not the national level, because of the electoral votes. 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. It seeks to be a bulwark against mass hysteria and the hysteria created by mass media. 1. All other votes cast for that candidate are therefore superfluous. This has occurred in only four of the 58 presidential . However, a popular vote system, although hard to implement, is a more purely democratic system than the Electoral College.
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