It has its pros and cons though, many of which critics debate over. One of the biggest reasons why voters dont vote is because they feel like their vote doesnt count. cons of the national popular vote planchicago religious demographics. That principle should be expanded to presidential elections. Mayors, governors, and senators are all elected by a simple majority. 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 That means the cost of counting all the votes would be duplicated. After all, is said and done, the candidate who attains the largest number of votes can still lose. 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. ThoughtCo, Dec. 16, 2020, thoughtco.com/the-national-popular-vote-plan-3322047. Using the NPV system means that every vote counts the same. During the 2012 elections, 38 states, also known as spectator states, were ignored and forgotten. 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. Home| Government| Elections| Electoral College| Electoral College Pros And Cons. Published: Mar. Maine and Nebraska are the only two states that are not affected by this approach. F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush were elected with less than a majority of the votes cast. On April 15, 2014 Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York State quietly signed into law the National Popular Vote, making New York the 10th state -- along with the District of Columbia -- to support this effort, while also boosting the total numbers to 165 of the 270 electoral votes needed to make a true national popular vote a reality. A simple change in the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact could fix the flaw and still provide the benefits of a popular election. 1, 2023 at 1:16 PM PST. 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. These are the states that may go to either major party candidate in the election. In summary, a popular vote is simply a vote in which the individual or issue with the most total votes from a population of voters is the winner. That created a voter value of 2.85. Disadvantages of the NPV Interstate Compact. Electoral votes are designated among the states based on Census. It knows that a majoritarianism that produces a plurality is not the voice of a majority of the citizenry. Colorado is on the verge of joining a nationwide movement that could eventually change how we choose the next president of the United States. As the National Popular Vote (NPV) movement steps up its effort to impose a direct election for president, attempting to enlist states with a sufficient number of electors to constitute a majority (268) and to bind them to the winner of the national popular vote, those states considering the proposal might first reflect on the nightmare aftermath of the 2000 presidential election. That would increase the amount of polarization being experienced in politics today because there would be less of a need to compromise. The discussion around using the popular vote for elections has increased since the results of the 2016 election. April 8, 2016 National popular vote far better than Electoral College system for choosing presidents, Stanford professors say. Post author: Post published: June 29, 2022 Post category: Uncategorized Post comments: paris apartment eiffel tower view for sale paris apartment eiffel tower view for sale Advantages of the NPV Interstate Compact 1. 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. If the presidential election were switched to the popular vote, then it would only take about 35% of the vote for a candidate to win. That's almost 1.5 billion . HuffPost's top politics stories, straight to your inbox. Advantage: Encourages Voter Turnout Here is the entire text of the proposed "Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote." Tweet Email this More on The Electoral College: Honorable Steve Cohen A popular vote structure would virtually eliminate the idea of a third-party candidate having a chance in an election. 2. A faithless elector in the United States is someone who casts an electoral ballot for someone other than the individuals to whom they are pledged. The bill has crossed paths with 36 legislative chambers and has been sponsored or voted for by 3,112 state legislators (National Popular Vote). Past Event: The League of Women Voters of Berrien and Cass Counties has announced plans to broadcast a webinar discussing the National Popular Vote (NPV) on Monday, Feb. 27 at 7:00 p.m. National Popular Vote has been leading the campaign to fix the electoral college and elect the president by national popular vote since its founding in 2006 . 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. Under the current structure of the electoral college, the focus of a presidential campaign is on the so-called battleground states. 2. These battleground or swing states receive 7% more federal grants, twice as many presidential disaster declarations, more Superfund enforcement exemptions, and more No Child Left Behind law exemptions (National Popular Vote). Every state is allocated several votes according to the number of senators and representatives in its U.S. Congressional delegation. 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. 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. It was a great idea in 1787 but the country has changed since 1787 and the people today want to elect the president by a simple, direct popular vote where whoever gets the most votes wins like we do in every other election in the country. On Dec. 22, 2016, the results were certified in all 50 states. 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. To determine the National Popular Vote winner, state election officials simply would tally the nationwide vote for president based on each states official results. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. That structure makes it easier for extremist views to find official representation. The framers enacted the provisions relating to the Electoral College to allow for state innovation. Some areas may bend the rules of an election by extending voting hours illegally. Many people may feel that any major change in how we elect the president should be in the Constitution and not in a legal loop hole even if its legal and technically constitutional. (LogOut/ In states with large population centers, individual voters have less power than voters in smaller states. This would happen in the extremely unlikely situation where this candidate would win just for one vote in some . When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. 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. Thats how politics works in America. The National Popular Vote plan does not do away with the Electoral College system, an action that would require a constitutional amendment. It is not at all clear that it would similarly prosper under the direct election regime being pushed by NPV. Candidates feel these states need a little bit more of their attention and apply pressure to supply these states with solutions to their problems in order to gain their vote. For example, if a state used NPV and voted for candidate A, but candidate B received the most votes nationwide, the state would allocate its presidential electors to candidate B. A majority of 270 electoral votes is required to elect the president. The Electoral College is very undemocratic and riddled with issues. It would be a national mandate to put someone in office, even if that winning candidate received less than 50% of the vote. At that stage, anyone who received an electoral vote is eligible to become the next president. 805 15th Street, NW, Suite 800
To date, the bill has passed at least one legislative chamber in 9 states possessing 82 combined electoral votes: AR, AZ, ME, MI, MN, NC, NV, OK, and OR. This was the intent of the Founding Fathers. It would eliminate the Congressional provisions for a non-majority election. 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 means every state is allowed a minimum of 3 electoral votes. The Electoral College is made up of 538 electors and a majority of 270 electoral votes is mandatory to nominate the President. 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. 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. 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. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. The horror of a potential national recount is only one of the dangers direct presidential elections poses. Even if states impose fines on faithless electors for their actions, it is not a guarantee that the behavior will stop. At the moment, 98 more electoral votes are needed to pass this bill in all 50 states (National Conference of State Legislators). "The National Popular Vote bill would guarantee the Presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in the entire U.S. Like most issues involving politics, the U.S. Constitution is largely silent on the political issues of presidential elections. 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. 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. 5. It understands that while the nation is one union, it is also an amalgam of varying experiences and perspectives arrived at via the settings and unique problems surrounding those who live in different places, and that these differences fall within the broad rubric of federalism. Learn more about how the National Popular Vote compact works and the ways it could make our elections better for everyone. This text is available online and is used for gudiance and inspiration, We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. The NPV Interstate Compact does not eliminate the very complicated Electoral College system that most voters dont really understand. After the process, the President of the Senate reveals who has officially been voted in as President and Vice President of the United States. In 2004, for example, candidates George W. Bush and John Kerry campaigned heavily in states such as Nevada while ignoring political issues in New York, a state that Kerry was sure to win, according to the University of the Pacific. The cost of a presidential election in the United States is already several billion dollars. Because of the Winner-Take-All state laws candidates for president only campaign and spend their money in 12-13 swing states because voters in those few swing states determine who wins the election and presidential candidates totally ignore voters in the rest of the country(except to raise money). The pros and cons of the popular vote structure of an election allow for the majority to have their say in who they wish to serve. It would eliminate superfluous votes. Would you like to get a custom essay? 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. 1. Get breaking news and updates from Common Cause. (2021, Jun 14). It awards all the bonus votes to the winner of the popular vote. [Add switching votes of losing party to the other partys voter totals in every state using the Electoral College/Winner-Take-All system (except for 5 EC votes in Maine and Nebraska that are awarded proportionally instead of by Winner-Take-All.]. 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. The National Popular Vote Plan. 1. Politicians would focus on fewer swing states (Bigger states more potential votes) A candidate can win the popular vote in enough states to win a majority of electoral votes but still lose the popular vote nationally. 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. Under the electoral college system (and other voting systems not based on popular voting), it only takes one extra vote more than the other candidate to create the needed results for the election. However, a popular vote system, although hard to implement, is a more purely democratic system than the Electoral College. This has occurred in 5 of the nation's 56 presidential elections, most recently in 2016. Similarly, because a national campaign mandates a national message, there would also be a smaller incentive for coalition-building or taking into account the characteristics, needs and desires of citizens in differing states and regions. Where the National Popular Vote Plan Stands. District Plan CONS Technically still possible, but A LOT hard to do so District 1 = Romney 57% District 2 = Romney 52% District 3 = Romney 70% Gerrymandering. 1. For the popular vote, however, Hillary Clinton received 65.8 million votes, while Donald Trump received 62.9 million votes. Currently, the National Popular Vote bill has 172 electoral votes. Surprisingly enough, the National Popular Vote bill could possibly bring forth some problems. 15 states and Washington, D.C. have joined the National Popular Vote compact. 6. The election is held every four years on the first Tuesday in November and prior to election day, the two candidates endure state-level primaries, caucuses, debates, and conventions. Battleground states would disappear in U.S. elections. 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. What would happen during a switch to the popular vote would be unknown. Definition and Examples, How Political Party Convention Delegates are Chosen, What Is a Caucus? As of now, 15 states and Washington, D.C. have joined the National Popular Vote compact: Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maryland, Washington, New Jersey, Illinois, New York, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Delaware and Oregon. Is this a solution to first past the post or is it merely reinforcing our current two party system? In the case of a tie, there are contingencies in place to determine which person will serve in the elected office. Instead of a direct popular election, the United States has the Electoral College, a group of electors who represent each state's votes. Definition and Examples, Learn How Many Total Electoral Votes There Are. Either would provide a reason for both parties to compete in most states because there would be electors to win. The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) is an agreement among a group of U.S. states and the District of Columbia to award all their electoral votes to whichever presidential ticket wins the overall popular vote in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Two-thirds of the campaign events were in four states, Florida, Iowa, Virginia, and Ohio, that year. How the US Electoral College System Works, Biography of Donald Trump, 45th President of the United States, What Is Statutory Law? The appeal of NPV is the simplicity of its message. Unexpected emergencies would be difficult to handle. 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. In a direct popular election, a candidate could theoretically win without having broad support throughout the country. 9. Longley, Robert. There are pros and cons to both systems. Right now, the President of the United States is not elected by a popular vote. sale of united methodist church property. Electoral college reform proposals include (1) the district plan, awarding each state's two at-large electoral votes to the statewide popular vote winners, and one electoral vote to the winning candidates in each congressional district; (2) the proportional plan, awarding electoral votes in states in direct proportion to the popular vote gained 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. A direct popular election also ensures that citizens' votes have equal weight. She graduated magna cum laude from Brandeis University with bachelor's degrees in creative writing, English/American literature and international studies. Analyzes how william c. kimberling, the deputy director of the federal election commission, is a credible author over the issue. 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. This blog post is a joint effort with Leslie Francis, former executive director of the Democratic National Committee and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. It would reduce the influence of third parties on the U.S. presidential election. 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. Robert Longley is a U.S. government and history expert with over 30 years of experience in municipal government and urban planning. http://www.nationalpopularvote.com/. 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. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. But the much greater danger to American democracy is that direct elections may make it possible for a president to be elected by no more than 30 percent of the vote, regardless of his or her suitability for office, so long as there is sufficient money and a clever media advisor behind the effort. Weve already seen this issue take place with the GOP primaries in 2016. Privacy Policy. 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. A plan to enact the National Popular Vote was introduced in the Michigan Legislature on Wednesday. In theory we could change how we elect our president every four years. Once enacted, the participating states would cast all of their electoral votes for the presidential candidate winning the nationwide popular vote, thus ensuring that candidate the required 270 electoral votes. If that was to take place, America could potentially face the same issues it is facing now. pros and cons." dave leip's atlas of u.s. presidential elections. With the polarization in global politics today, especially in the United States, a switch to the popular vote would likely increase costs even further. It is perhaps the most simplistic form of an election. It would limit the influence of local issues in the election. Since the Constitution and the Bill of Rights became governing documents in the United States, there have only been 17 amendments made to it. But sometime in the future the popular vote will change back and lean Republican. 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. That could lead to a very bad situation where, instead of the people voting in November to determine who the next president is, one or two states could effectively decide who becomes the next president simply by joining or withdrawing from the NPV Compact and changing the rules on how the votes for president are counted in the next election. Inicio; Nota Biografica; Obra; Blogs. The United States does not have direct election of its president, yet most national, state and local offices are filled by the candidate with the most votes. That is hardly a mandate for governing, though it would be taken as such. Louisiana voters should decide who receives Louisiana's electoral votes. E pluribus unum -- out of many, one. Menu burger Close thin Facebook Twitter Google plus Linked in Reddit Email arrow-right-sm arrow-right Loading Home Buying Calculators Is the National Popular Vote Plan Constitutional? Due to some states being heavily populated in comparison to others, that may help a candidate quickly obtain a win. Secondly, it creates a minimalist depiction in the minds of the candidate towards more than 40 states. In 6 Elections, 2 Near-Misses (2020, 2004) and 2 Second-Place Presidents (2016, 2000) National Popular Vote Has Been Enacted into Law in 16 Jurisdictions with 195 Electoral Votes. And that would lead to chaos in how political parties campaign for president and could also undermine the legitimacy of the process. The candidate who placed second in the popular vote was elected in 2016, 2000, 1888, 1876, and 1824. 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. It makes things easier for extreme parties to gain representation. 6. It has been enacted into law in 11 states with 165 electoral votes, and will take effect when enacted by states with 105 more. The states that join the NPV Compact will not be able to certify their Electoral College Votes until all 50 states and DC certify their state popular votes and any mandated/requested recounts since the Compact state ECVs are dependent on the winner of the national popular vote and not just their own state popular votes. The National Bonus Plan maintains the Electoral College voting system but adds 102 bonus electoral votes to the existing 538 votes. Thats the way it has been in this country for a long time. 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. Common Cause
Constitutional Amendment to Guarantee the Right to Vote for All U.S. Citizens. Yes. According to 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 to which the State may be entitled in the Congress." The National Popular Vote Bill is not a Democrat or Republican bill. 8. The appeal of NPV is the simplicity of its message. A popular vote system would significantly impact voters and turnout. 1. 4. It seeks to be a bulwark against mass hysteria and the hysteria created by mass media. Rebekah Richards is a professional writer with work published in the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution," "Brandeis University Law Journal" and online at tolerance.org. Nevada passed the legislation in 2019, but Gov. N.p., n.d. Heres how. Or the opposite could be true. "The National Popular Vote Plan." By adding this new interstate compact to the Electoral College/Winner-Take-All system to elect our president we are in fact making this system even more complicated and even harder for the voters to understand. In U.S. history, the electoral college winner has failed to secure the popular vote 5 times. For more information, please see our Part of HuffPost Politics. However, Hilary Clinton won 2.6 million more popular votes nationwide than Donald Trump. Hence, the National Popular Vote plan is an interstate compact a type of state law authorized by the U.S. Constitution that enables states to enter into a legally enforceable, contractual obligation to undertake agreed joint actions, which may be delayed in implementation until a requisite number of states join in. This brings us to 196 of the 270 electoral votes needed to activate the pact. Would it aid a fight to eliminate first past the post or would it further entrench the established party system voters American voters have expressed disdain for. Candidates feel they either cant win or lose with the votes from these states. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. While we look further into the National Popular Vote, lets investigate some of its pro and cons for the American democracy. Probably the NPV Compact would be enacted into law with as little as a simple majority of the states and possibly even less. Many Americans are confused about how a win is obtained under these conditions and are on a quest to change this traditional statute. It fails to reach the ideal of one-person one-vote. It isnt impossible to pass a Constitutional amendment, though history shows that it is not an easy process to complete. Less would get done, which would affect the needs of households at the local level. The itineraries of presidential candidates in battleground states (and their allocation of other campaign resources) demonstrate what every gubernatorial or senatorial candidate in every state already knows namely that when every vote matters, the campaign must be run in every part of the state.