Proposed solution

[JohnStOnge]

An automatic runoff of sorts. We eliminate the Electoral College and go to pure popular vote. But each voter gets to indicate two choices for President. They get to pick a #1 and a #2 choice. Then the #1 choice votes are tallied. If no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote in terms of #1 choices, the top two vote getters are identified. Then the #2 choice votes of those whose #1 choices aren't among the top two would go to whoever they voted for as #2. That would almost certainly result in one candidate getting more than 50%.

This would take away the restraint on 3rd Party voting. So like for example someone really wanted to vote for Gary Johnson. Under the current system they have to feel like if they vote for Johnson they're wasting their vote. But with an automatic runoff voting scheme they could feel free to vote for who they really want to vote for as the #1 choice while knowing if he or she didn't make the top two they would still be represented.

Some might say you might need to go farther than #1 and #2 choices. I think that's unlikely. But if we started seeing indications that maybe we need to go to adding a #3 choice to create a situation where someone ends up with >50% we could do that.

[HI54UNI]

No.

[JohnStOnge]

No.

Why would you not want for people to be able to vote for a "third Party" candidate without having to worry about wasting their vote? This would be something that would free people to go ahead and give candidates from outside of the two major parties a shot.

Why would you not want something that might contribute to breaking the stranglehold the two major parties have on power?

And why would you not want for more than 50% of the voters to have to say they're good with it before someone becomes President?

I don't know about your State but in mine you can't have someone become Governor without that. If nobody gets >50% initially they have a runoff between the top two vote getters. I think doing that with President might be a bit much logistically but you could accomplish the same thing with automatic runoff voting.

[CAA Flagship]

You're Crazy!!!

[93henfan]

An automatic runoff of sorts. We eliminate the Electoral College and go to pure popular vote. But each voter gets to indicate two choices for President. They get to pick a #1 and a #2 choice. Then the #1 choice votes are tallied. If no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote in terms of #1 choices, the top two vote getters are identified. Then the #2 choice votes of those whose #1 choices aren't among the top two would go to whoever they voted for as #2. That would almost certainly result in one candidate getting more than 50%.

This would take away the restraint on 3rd Party voting. So like for example someone really wanted to vote for Gary Johnson. Under the current system they have to feel like if they vote for Johnson they're wasting their vote. But with an automatic runoff voting scheme they could feel free to vote for who they really want to vote for as the #1 choice while knowing if he or she didn't make the top two they would still be represented.

Some might say you might need to go farther than #1 and #2 choices. I think that's unlikely. But if we started seeing indications that maybe we need to go to adding a #3 choice to create a situation where someone ends up with >50% we could do that.

[Pwns]

I agree with that and would take it a step farther...I wouldn't just use the votes for runoffs, but tally with a point system like you use in a sports ranking poll.

[93henfan]

I agree with that and would take it a step farther...I wouldn't just use the votes for runoffs, but tally with a point system like you use in a sports ranking poll.

We really should take the human error factor out of it and just let computers pick the best candidate.

[HI54UNI]

No.

[kalm]

While I tend to agree with this idea and want to break up the duopoly, Fiver is making some truly compelling counterpoints.

That Iowa kid is a master debater.

[YoUDeeMan]

JSO...Constitutionalist.

[AZGrizFan]

While I tend to agree with this idea and want to break up the duopoly, Fiver is making some truly compelling counterpoints.

That Iowa kid is a master debater.

Agreed. He's killing this one...

[Chizzang]

Republicans haven't won a popular election in a long time...
and might likely never win another one

The likelihood of this getting any traction is almost zero

[BDKJMU]

Republicans haven't won a popular election in a long time...
and might likely never win another one

The likelihood of this getting any traction is almost zero

12 years is a long time?

[DSUrocks07]

Republicans haven't won a popular election in a long time...
and might likely never win another one

The likelihood of this getting any traction is almost zero

Under the current system...

I think going to a pure popular vote would actually lead to MORE GOP voters going to the polls, especially in hardcore liberal metro areas, because they know that every vote is important. And we all know the apathy that Democrats have towards the political process in general.

Sent using Tapatalk because 89Hen hates this.

[ASUG8]

Why is it that the lefties suddenly hate the Electoral College system?

[Ibanez]

Republicans haven't won a popular election in a long time...
and might likely never win another one

The likelihood of this getting any traction is almost zero

Never?

[Ibanez]

Why is it that the lefties suddenly hate the Electoral College system?

B/c not only did they lose, but they didn't get a participation award. Funny, I don't recall liberals hating the Electoral College in 2008 or 2012.

[Ibanez]

An automatic runoff of sorts. We eliminate the Electoral College and go to pure popular vote. But each voter gets to indicate two choices for President. They get to pick a #1 and a #2 choice. Then the #1 choice votes are tallied. If no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote in terms of #1 choices, the top two vote getters are identified. Then the #2 choice votes of those whose #1 choices aren't among the top two would go to whoever they voted for as #2. That would almost certainly result in one candidate getting more than 50%.

This would take away the restraint on 3rd Party voting. So like for example someone really wanted to vote for Gary Johnson. Under the current system they have to feel like if they vote for Johnson they're wasting their vote. But with an automatic runoff voting scheme they could feel free to vote for who they really want to vote for as the #1 choice while knowing if he or she didn't make the top two they would still be represented.

Some might say you might need to go farther than #1 and #2 choices. I think that's unlikely. But if we started seeing indications that maybe we need to go to adding a #3 choice to create a situation where someone ends up with >50% we could do that.

[GannonFan]

Whereas there was some momentum that the Electoral College was archaic in 2000, this election actually has the reverse effect - the usefulness and the genius of the Electoral College was on full display. Piling up votes in liberal bubbles in isolated urban areas on either coast just isn't enough to win a national election if you get zero support from anywhere else in the country. Heck, that's almost exactly what the framers put the Electoral College in place for in the first place. This election has cemented the genius of the Electoral College for at least another generation, if not more. Hamilton and Madison are smiling somewhere.

[Ibanez]

Whereas there was some momentum that the Electoral College was archaic in 2000, this election actually has the reverse effect - the usefulness and the genius of the Electoral College was on full display. Piling up votes in liberal bubbles in isolated urban areas on either coast just isn't enough to win a national election if you get zero support from anywhere else in the country. Heck, that's almost exactly what the framers put the Electoral College in place for in the first place. This election has cemented the genius of the Electoral College for at least another generation, if not more. Hamilton and Madison are smiling somewhere.

Hamilton saw the Electoral College as a way of keeping the corrupt out of the office.

"Talents for low intrigue, and the little arts of popularity, may alone suffice to elevate a man to the first honors in a single State; but it will require other talents, and a different kind of merit, to establish him in the esteem and confidence of the whole Union, or of so considerable a portion of it as would be necessary to make him a successful candidate for the distinguished office of President of the United States"

[Chizzang]

Why is it that the lefties suddenly hate the Electoral College system?

This LEFTY loves it...

[Chizzang]

Republicans haven't won a popular election in a long time...
and might likely never win another one

The likelihood of this getting any traction is almost zero

12 years is a long time?

5 of the last 6 popular elections lost by the right

[93henfan]

Other lefties who support the Electoral College:

[GannonFan]

Whereas there was some momentum that the Electoral College was archaic in 2000, this election actually has the reverse effect - the usefulness and the genius of the Electoral College was on full display. Piling up votes in liberal bubbles in isolated urban areas on either coast just isn't enough to win a national election if you get zero support from anywhere else in the country. Heck, that's almost exactly what the framers put the Electoral College in place for in the first place. This election has cemented the genius of the Electoral College for at least another generation, if not more. Hamilton and Madison are smiling somewhere.

Hamilton saw the Electoral College as a way of keeping the corrupt out of the office.

"Talents for low intrigue, and the little arts of popularity, may alone suffice to elevate a man to the first honors in a single State; but it will require other talents, and a different kind of merit, to establish him in the esteem and confidence of the whole Union, or of so considerable a portion of it as would be necessary to make him a successful candidate for the distinguished office of President of the United States"

Yes, both him and Madison, in a remarkable bit of agreement following Madison's descent into Jeffersonian Republicanism, were both horrified and opposed to when states began to have elector slates that were bound to vote for a particular candidate (so you voted for a declared elector like today). They both always saw the independence of the Electoral College as a plus. But I still think they would've appreciated this outcome.

[Bronco]

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Winner could be who wins the most counties