More Participating in the Political Process Answers
Question Library
Ask a question about Participating in the Political Process
Volunteer
Experts of the Month
Expert Login
Awards
About Us
Tell friends
Link to Us
Disclaimer
|
| |
|
|
| |
| | | |
About John C. Berg
Expertise
How to run for office and win, how to lobby, how to promote your political cause effectively, how to get involved in electoral and issue campaigns, how to get a job in politics.
Experience
I have been a professor of political science since 1974, and direct a graduate program in professional politics. I have worked on many campaigns in various capacities.
Organizations
American Association of Political Consultants, American Political Science Association, Caucus for a New Political Science, National Society for Experiential Education, International Political Science Association.
Publications
Polity, New Political Science, Policy Studies Journal. Author of Unequal Struggle: Class, Gender, Race, and Power in the US Congress.
Education/Credentials
PhD, Harvard University, 1975
MA, Harvard University, 1973
BA with Honors, University of Wisconsin, 1964
| | |
| |
You are here: Experts > Arts/Humanities > Political Science > Participating in the Political Process > Votes counting
Expert: John C. Berg - 11/5/2009
Question
Hi John,
Why in the presidential elections different states are given different "weights" (I forgot how it's called)? How is it reckoned? Shouldn't it be more correct to count the total number of votes for each candidate?
Sincerely,
Richard
Answer
It would certainly be more democratic to count the total number of votes for each candidate for president; we don't do it that way only because the Constitution prescribes a different method: each state chooses electors, with one elector for each representative and senator from that state. The people who wrote the Constitution were afraid that too much democracy would threaten the interests (or the rights, depending on your point of view) of the wealthy, so they limited democracy in various ways: indirect election of the Senate (changed by the 17th Amendment) and the President, and an unelected Supreme Court, among other things.
So the weights of the states are largely based on population, although the addition of one elector for each senator means that small states get more weight than they should. Since 48 of the 50 states give all of their electors to the candidate that carries the state, it is possible that the candidate with the most votes will not be elected president. This happened in 2000, for example; Al Gore got more votes than George W. Bush, but Bush was elected because he got more electoral votes.
There is a proposal going around called the National Popular Vote -- too complicated to explain here, but see http://www.nationalpopularvote.com/.
Hope this helps!
John
Add to this Answer Ask a Question
|
|
