Popular Vote vs. Electoral Vote

As some people may not understand – popular vote doesn’t  “always” get the election (it’s been rare it hasn’t). It is the Electoral College that decides the presidency. And, the “Electoral College” isn’t a set place in some state – it is the individual states combined through the “electors”.

This is nothing new. It’s been this way since  the constitution was written – the same document people often wave and wrap themselves up in when protesting.

Read on …

Take this from Article II, Section 1:

“Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives”

So, each state gets what’s called “electoral votes” – California 55; Texas 28; Nevada 7 … and so on. And, when they’re added up – the end result can be the least popular candidate wins. How is that even possible you wonder?

Just wait, I’ll get to that …

Now, what I’ve seen from celebrities, media, and everyday citizens has me concerned about the education system and if people are being taught GOVERNMENT. And, if they are being taught – are they really paying attention? Obviously something is failing as they do not truly understand how this process works.

Am I an expert? Far from it. I am educated though. And, I make sure to research things when I am not familiar with them – comes with the territory as a writer.

I have two “recent” (2012 & 2013) Government textbooks (I have others that are older though). One is “American Government: Power & Purpose; 12^th Edition” (2012) [Lowi, Ginsberg, Shepsle, Ansolabehere]; and the other is “We the People, 9^th Essentials Edition” (2013) [Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir, Tolbert, Spizter].

[American Government: Power & People; Twelfth Edition; 2012) 

[We the People; Ninth Essentials Edition; 2013]

The reason I don’t have anything newer than 2013? Too damn expensive! New textbooks cost around $200 a pop! 

These books not only have a copy of the constitution in them – but chapters on the Electoral College and electoral votes to educate the reader on exactly how elections work.

In “We the People” (the most recent book) it states “In each state (except Maine and Nebraska), the party candidate who wins the popular vote wins all the electoral college votes for that state, in a winner-take-all fashion”. (Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir, Tolbert, Spizter; pg. 228; 2013).

Did you read that? “The party candidate who wins the popular vote wins all the electoral college votes for that state, in a winner-take-all fashion”. Meaning that whoever won the majority, even if it was 49.9 to 49.5 – the majority winner took ALL the electoral votes. Gather enough – you win the presidency.

YES PEOPLE – MOST POPULAR PERSON MAY NOT WIN THE PRESIDENCY. WHY?

The United States Constitution. Simple. That’s the reason.

It’s laid out there since 1787, ratified in 1788, and in operation since 1789.  Granted these ideas are over 200 years old – but, they’re still there. This is the same constitution that grants people the right to worship (or not), voice their opinions, and the media to broadcast – among others.

So, that means that DT’s win was fair under the system provided since 1787. HRC did not accumulate the required number of “electoral votes” to win. She needed 270, she failed to collect them despite the number of popular votes. DT won the states that had the most electoral votes, and thus “won” the presidency.  READ THAT AGAIN : “did not accumulate the required number of “electoral votes” to win”. Sad as it is – she won states that really didn’t “add up”.

This is NOT the first time this has happened. And, it may not be the last either.

“Since electoral votes are won on a state-by-state basis, it is mathematically possible for a candidate who receives a nationwide popularity plurality to fail to carry states whose electoral votes would add up to a majority”. (Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir, Tolbert, Spizter; pg. 226-227; 2013).

Look at the maps of the states from this recent election, add up the electoral votes. Those votes were given to the person who won the popular vote in that state, not the country – the state. Each state! State by state basis. Not a group who pushed a button. Each state. Accumulated votes.

Protests do NOTHING. It won’t change the system. 

Do you REALLY want to change the constitution because you’re not satisfied with the outcome? What then do we change next? Do we change everything to suit our fancy?
 

If you want to do anything – get to a library, bookstore, online at Amazon … read, educate yourself, and then … educate someone else. Pass on the education.

I’m hoping this provides some education and insight into a system that has been around since before our grandparents were born. Perhaps even our great-grands.

There’s a video that explains it … and, if you watch it, you might learn something.  

References:

Charters of Freedom. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2016, from http://www.senate.gov/civics/constitution_item/constitution.htm?vm=r

Does your vote count? The Electoral College Explained [Video file]. (2012, November 1). In YouTube. Retrieved November 10, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9H3gvnN468

Ginsberg, B., Lowi, T. J., Weir, M., Tolbert, C. J., & Spitzer, R. J. (2013). We the People: An Introduction to American Politics. New York: W.W. Norton & Company

Lowi, T. J., Ginsberg, B., Shepsle, K., & Ansolabehere, S. (2012). American Government: Power and Purpose. New York: W.W. Norton & Company

U. S. Electoral College: Presidential Election Laws. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2016, from https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/provisions.html