Integrity in the Electoral College and Convention Delegates
Dennis AuBuchon
December 29, 2008
The election of 2008 has once again brought the subject of the Electoral College into the news. The concept of the Electoral College in the beginning of our country was a good thing. The main purpose was to establish a system to elect a President when easy communication was not available throughout our country. It was important in that communication to remote parts of the country was not available for individuals to know the candidates running for President. This is no longer the case. Today technological changes have increased our communication tools. This is important and the availability of information today presents a picture far greater than our ancestors could have imagined. The subject of this article is the idea of not only increasing the integrity in the process but also providing better representation for each vote cast in a Presidential election. Additionally, the distribution of delegates to the party conventions also is in need of change.
The total votes in the Electoral College represent one vote for each representative and each senator. Candidates running for President must achieve 270 votes to win the election. While the present system does provide some representation for each state, it is not equal in importance. States that have a higher total of votes receive greater weight than those that do not. The changes I am suggesting for the Electoral College and the distribution of convention delegates has long been needed. While some may not agree with the changes, I am suggesting, I feel states should make changes in the way that electoral votes and delegate votes are distributed. With the present system, it clearly can be seen that the candidates, in many cases, concentrate on those states with higher electoral votes than those that do not. Some already distribute votes based on percentages of votes received by the candidates. I commend those states as they are at the front of the changes that are needed. Each individual state is important in an election and the current process diminishes this perception.
One suggestion for change is to award the number of electoral votes based on the percentage a candidate wins in the election. Most states award a candidate all the votes rather than the percentage they gained in the election. This discounts those who voted for other candidates and this is especially important in a close election. Some may not agree with this suggestion but the present system does truly not provide the proper recognition of each vote based on the percentages a candidate receives. In this respect the states with lower population does not appear to have the importance they should.
The Electoral College is an interesting subject about which I feel many people do not understand. We believe we elect the President on Election Day in November. While there is much hype about the election and the results, the actual election of the President comes through the votes by the Electoral College. Though the news organizations talk about the Electoral College during the election results, I feel the explanation given is not enough so the public understands.
The votes assigned to each state amount to one for each representative and the two senators. While this brings some organization to the process those states with large populations get more Electoral College votes than those with less population. This decreases the importance of the votes in each of these states. There needs to be some consistency, which provides equal importance to all states. As previously stated, candidates sometimes concentrate on those states with the highest electoral votes so they achieve the required number to be President. There needs to be some changes in this process. The American people have a right to have a greater impact from all states not just those with higher Electoral College votes. While some may say that this would be unfair to states with higher population, I say that each state deserves equal representation in the Presidential election process.
This can be accomplished in two ways. The first is to assign an equal number of Electoral College votes to each state. This will create a situation where each state has an equal degree of importance in each Presidential election. The other option is for the states to award or assign delegates based on the percentage of votes the candidates receive during the election. This will again allow an equal chance for the candidates to win the quantity of votes to be elected. Today with the large assignment of votes based on the number of senators and representatives the more a state has increases the importance of winning that state. This is wrong.
Prior to Election Day there is another aspect which has a bearing on which candidate wins the nomination for their party. There are states that award delegates to each of the party conventions based upon the percentage of votes received by the candidates. This is the way it should be. Voters are disenfranchised when they feel their voices are not heard. When a state assigns delegates based on the percentage of votes received, every vote has a stake in who will be the candidate for each party.
Our election process in this country is great but since it was created, our country has changed enormously with today´s technological world. Information is more readily available with the Internet and the current system needs to reflect this change. I am not saying that our system is bad only that it needs to be updated to present times. While it may be a big task, I feel that each of the states that do not already award delegates and Electoral College votes based on voting percentages should make changes in their system. Many times there have been statements made that each vote counts but the current system does not reflect this philosophy. It makes more sense for states to have an equal degree of importance in the election process.
The changes I am suggesting are only for the Presidential election process as this is the only one where the changes I have suggested apply. The American people have a right to have their votes counted with equal importance and not be overshadowed by states with larger Electoral College votes. In terms of delegates and the quantities needed to win the nomination for each party, I am confused as to how the delegate quantities are determined. This applies for not only the delegates needed to win the nomination but also the quantity determined to be won in each state.
In summary, the American voter deserves to have their votes properly counted and given equal importance regardless of which state they live in and are qualified to vote. Presently the way the delegates are assigned and the Electoral College votes awarded this does not occur. We need to change both of these aspects of our election cycle to bring this about. While consistency may not be easily attained at the national level, the states need to take steps to incorporate these suggestions. The main point to realize is that changing the way states assign delegates and Electoral College votes will affect the Presidential election even if other states do not do so. States who make changes in their process for delegates and Electoral College votes can be a leader for the change. This change will benefit all their residents by making their voices heard with greater importance.
One last point to make is that several candidates run for President and their party nomination during the election process. All parties must look at the benefits that the above-suggested changes would achieve. When a process is in place to properly recognize and award votes or delegates based on percentage of votes received people would feel better about their votes and that they are given proper recognition. When states assign delegates and Electoral College votes for the winner of the popular vote it disregards the votes cast by other candidates. Both parties should realize that by awarding delegates and Electoral College votes based on percentages each candidate would benefit in the process. The election of 2008 was a tight race for the Democrats in the delegate battle and adjusting the quantities across the board would have made the battle more interesting. As reported in the news stories several times when their candidate did not win the nomination many voters became dissatisfied with the process. This is something any party should strive to avoid. In terms of the Republican Party, that battle would also have been more interesting.
Regardless of which party is in charge of a state they should consider revamping how the votes of their residents receive recognition and importance. It would be fair to all candidates in a Presidential election to award electoral votes and delegates based on the percentages received by a candidate. We all support one candidate or another in a Presidential election and we must understand our feelings when our candidate does not receive due recognition of the votes they receive. Sometimes the percentages are close and when it is all or nothing recognition the candidate (s) who lose get no recognition of the closeness and/or the votes they received. This amounts to not recognizing all the votes cast. Residents of each state deserve more than that. Let us support the statement that each vote counts in making the necessary changes in the present system to make the statement a reality.
For those reading this article if you agree or not I would like to hear from you.
The total votes in the Electoral College represent one vote for each representative and each senator. Candidates running for President must achieve 270 votes to win the election. While the present system does provide some representation for each state, it is not equal in importance. States that have a higher total of votes receive greater weight than those that do not. The changes I am suggesting for the Electoral College and the distribution of convention delegates has long been needed. While some may not agree with the changes, I am suggesting, I feel states should make changes in the way that electoral votes and delegate votes are distributed. With the present system, it clearly can be seen that the candidates, in many cases, concentrate on those states with higher electoral votes than those that do not. Some already distribute votes based on percentages of votes received by the candidates. I commend those states as they are at the front of the changes that are needed. Each individual state is important in an election and the current process diminishes this perception.
One suggestion for change is to award the number of electoral votes based on the percentage a candidate wins in the election. Most states award a candidate all the votes rather than the percentage they gained in the election. This discounts those who voted for other candidates and this is especially important in a close election. Some may not agree with this suggestion but the present system does truly not provide the proper recognition of each vote based on the percentages a candidate receives. In this respect the states with lower population does not appear to have the importance they should.
The Electoral College is an interesting subject about which I feel many people do not understand. We believe we elect the President on Election Day in November. While there is much hype about the election and the results, the actual election of the President comes through the votes by the Electoral College. Though the news organizations talk about the Electoral College during the election results, I feel the explanation given is not enough so the public understands.
The votes assigned to each state amount to one for each representative and the two senators. While this brings some organization to the process those states with large populations get more Electoral College votes than those with less population. This decreases the importance of the votes in each of these states. There needs to be some consistency, which provides equal importance to all states. As previously stated, candidates sometimes concentrate on those states with the highest electoral votes so they achieve the required number to be President. There needs to be some changes in this process. The American people have a right to have a greater impact from all states not just those with higher Electoral College votes. While some may say that this would be unfair to states with higher population, I say that each state deserves equal representation in the Presidential election process.
This can be accomplished in two ways. The first is to assign an equal number of Electoral College votes to each state. This will create a situation where each state has an equal degree of importance in each Presidential election. The other option is for the states to award or assign delegates based on the percentage of votes the candidates receive during the election. This will again allow an equal chance for the candidates to win the quantity of votes to be elected. Today with the large assignment of votes based on the number of senators and representatives the more a state has increases the importance of winning that state. This is wrong.
Prior to Election Day there is another aspect which has a bearing on which candidate wins the nomination for their party. There are states that award delegates to each of the party conventions based upon the percentage of votes received by the candidates. This is the way it should be. Voters are disenfranchised when they feel their voices are not heard. When a state assigns delegates based on the percentage of votes received, every vote has a stake in who will be the candidate for each party.
Our election process in this country is great but since it was created, our country has changed enormously with today´s technological world. Information is more readily available with the Internet and the current system needs to reflect this change. I am not saying that our system is bad only that it needs to be updated to present times. While it may be a big task, I feel that each of the states that do not already award delegates and Electoral College votes based on voting percentages should make changes in their system. Many times there have been statements made that each vote counts but the current system does not reflect this philosophy. It makes more sense for states to have an equal degree of importance in the election process.
The changes I am suggesting are only for the Presidential election process as this is the only one where the changes I have suggested apply. The American people have a right to have their votes counted with equal importance and not be overshadowed by states with larger Electoral College votes. In terms of delegates and the quantities needed to win the nomination for each party, I am confused as to how the delegate quantities are determined. This applies for not only the delegates needed to win the nomination but also the quantity determined to be won in each state.
In summary, the American voter deserves to have their votes properly counted and given equal importance regardless of which state they live in and are qualified to vote. Presently the way the delegates are assigned and the Electoral College votes awarded this does not occur. We need to change both of these aspects of our election cycle to bring this about. While consistency may not be easily attained at the national level, the states need to take steps to incorporate these suggestions. The main point to realize is that changing the way states assign delegates and Electoral College votes will affect the Presidential election even if other states do not do so. States who make changes in their process for delegates and Electoral College votes can be a leader for the change. This change will benefit all their residents by making their voices heard with greater importance.
One last point to make is that several candidates run for President and their party nomination during the election process. All parties must look at the benefits that the above-suggested changes would achieve. When a process is in place to properly recognize and award votes or delegates based on percentage of votes received people would feel better about their votes and that they are given proper recognition. When states assign delegates and Electoral College votes for the winner of the popular vote it disregards the votes cast by other candidates. Both parties should realize that by awarding delegates and Electoral College votes based on percentages each candidate would benefit in the process. The election of 2008 was a tight race for the Democrats in the delegate battle and adjusting the quantities across the board would have made the battle more interesting. As reported in the news stories several times when their candidate did not win the nomination many voters became dissatisfied with the process. This is something any party should strive to avoid. In terms of the Republican Party, that battle would also have been more interesting.
Regardless of which party is in charge of a state they should consider revamping how the votes of their residents receive recognition and importance. It would be fair to all candidates in a Presidential election to award electoral votes and delegates based on the percentages received by a candidate. We all support one candidate or another in a Presidential election and we must understand our feelings when our candidate does not receive due recognition of the votes they receive. Sometimes the percentages are close and when it is all or nothing recognition the candidate (s) who lose get no recognition of the closeness and/or the votes they received. This amounts to not recognizing all the votes cast. Residents of each state deserve more than that. Let us support the statement that each vote counts in making the necessary changes in the present system to make the statement a reality.
For those reading this article if you agree or not I would like to hear from you.
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