The electoral college.

[Tim]

Should we scrap the current system?

How say you, and why?

What system would you like to see in place?

 

[gLing]

Let us first explain what it is...

 

[Tim]

United States Electoral College - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[gLing]

United States Electoral College - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The United States Electoral College is a term used to describe the 538 Presidential Electors who meet every 4 years to cast the electoral votes for President and Vice President of the United States. The Presidential Electors are elected by the popular vote on the day traditionally called election day. Presidential Electors meet in their respective state capitol buildings (or in the District of Columbia) on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December (per 3 U.S.C. § 7), never as a national body. At the 51 meetings, held on the same day, the Electors cast the electoral votes. As such, the collectivity of the 51 groups is the technical definition of the college, despite never convening together. The electoral college system, like the national convention, is an indirect element in the process of electing the president.

Time for a change.

 

[Peter Parka]

Sounds really complicated to me, can anyone explain it simpler than wikipedia? Thanks!

 

[GraceAbounds]

Time for a change.

The Presidential Electors of each state (and DC) meet 41 days following the popular vote to cast the electoral votes. The Electors ballot first for President, then for Vice President. On rare occasions, an Elector does not cast the electoral vote for the party's national ticket, usually as a political statement; these people are called faithless Electors. Each Elector signs a document entitled the Certificate of Vote which sets forth the electoral vote of the state (or DC). One original Certificate of Vote is sent by certified mail to the Office of the Vice President.
One month following the casting of the electoral votes, the U.S. Congress meets in joint session to declare the winner of the election. If a candidate for President receives the vote of 270 or more Presidential Electors, the presiding officer (usually the sitting Vice President) declares that candidate to be the President-elect, and a candidate for vice president receiving 270 or more electoral votes is similarly declared to be the Vice President-elect.

If the electoral vote represents the majority vote of their perspective state, it is fair imo. The only thing I don't like is that they technically could vote against that, though they rarely do. I would like to see that part changed or get rid of the electors and make the electoral votes from each state automatically go to the popular vote winner from each said state.

 

[debbie t]

Sounds really complicated to me, can anyone explain it simpler than wikipedia? Thanks!

oh thanks pete i tought i was just a dimb witted brit girl then:24:

 

[gLing]

Grace you are good at making me look dumb. :mad

 

[All Else Failed]

get rid of it, and put in a proportional electoral system modeled after a European design.

 

[debbie t]

get rid of it, and put in a proportional electoral system modeled after a European design.

i want proportional representation here !!!!!!!!

 

[GraceAbounds]

i want proportional representation here !!!!!!!!

LOL! :24: :24:

 

[debbie t]

shit ive been funny again and i dont know how i did it:24:

any way back on topic peeps..please explain more for pete and i

 

[GraceAbounds]

Simply, a certain number of electors are elected for each state. Each state has a certain number of representative electoral votes bases on population. Election day the people vote (popular vote). 41 days later the electors vote (electoral vote). On election day when a state has recorded all their popular votes, the media awards that candidate the electoral vote, assuming that the electors will vote the same as the popular vote voted - which is normally the case 99% of the time.

 

[dt3]

I say scrap it. I'd rather see a popular vote. Let everybody's vote count the same.

 

[redsMULLT1]

I say scrap it. I'd rather see a popular vote. Let everybody's vote count the same.

:homo: I don't like the whole.. heres what you wanted but this is who we're picking for you plan. Scrap it and do what he said.

 

[IntruderLS1]

What are your thoughts Tim? I always enjoy your perspective on these things.

get rid of it, and put in a proportional electoral system modeled after a European design.

Did you have something specific in mind Ron. I'd like to look into the one you think is the best.

I'll have to refresh myself on the information before I make an informed vote.

 

[Peter Parka]

Simply, a certain number of electors are elected for each state. Each state has a certain number of representative electoral votes bases on population. Election day the people vote (popular vote). 41 days later the electors vote (electoral vote). On election day when a state has recorded all their popular votes, the media awards that candidate the electoral vote, assuming that the electors will vote the same as the popular vote voted - which is normally the case 99% of the time.

So does the electors vote still count if the popular vote is different? Not sure if I'm quite following this. If that's the case, what's the point of the popular vote? *still confused* :confused

 

[All Else Failed]

What are your thoughts Tim? I always enjoy your perspective on these things.



Did you have something specific in mind Ron. I'd like to look into the one you think is the best.

I'll have to refresh myself on the information before I make an informed vote.

Germany system comes to mind. It seems to work pretty well for them.

here's some brief info about it:

Proportional representation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Thebest]

The Electoral college is obsolete now.

It was designed due to the fact that the citizens of the United States back when it was a new country were very uninformed in the goings-on of the country, due to lack of television, radio, internet, etc. Therefore they needed a group of people who knew what was going into politics and could make the best vote, hence the electoral college.

Now, however, anybody in the world can be informed on how the government is running, whether it be through the internet, television, radio, telephone, many, many things. Now that we as citizens can make an educated vote, we no longer need the electoral college.

Also, the popular vote really doesn't count Peter, because if it did, we would've had Al Gore as president in 2000, instead of Bush.

 

[Peter Parka]

Germany system comes to mind. It seems to work pretty well for them.

here's some brief info about it:

Proportional representation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ah, I think I kind of get it and if I do I agree with this. Is this where the total votes all over is what counts? Over here, you vote for an MP in your local area and the party which gets the most MPs wins the election. The fault of this was highlighted in our last election. Overall the Conservatives got the most votes but Labour won.