This system, currently used by Maine and Nebraska, awards as many Electoral College votes to a candidate as congressional districts won in the state. Two votes (corresponding to U.S. Senate seats) are awarded to the statewide popular vote winner.
The congressional district method will:
- Intensify the problem of gerrymandering.
- Make presidential elections even less competitive than under the present system. Candidates will end up vying for the attention of a fews districts, instead of a few states.
- Reduce voter equality - the weight of a vote will depend not only on the state but also the district where it is cast.
- Intensify partisan gamesmanship if pursued state by state in a piecemeal manner.
- Done nationally, greatly increase the odds of the national popular vote winner losing.
Fuzzy Math: Wrong Way Reforms for Allocating Electoral College Votes evaluates the congressional district method on the basis of whether it promotes majority rule, makes elections more nationally competitive, reduces incentives for partisan machinations, and makes all votes count equally.
Fuzzy Math: Wrong Way Reforms for Allocating Electoral College Votes [PDF, 670K] evaluates the congressional district method on the basis of
whether it promotes majority rule, makes elections more nationally
competitive, reduces incentives for partisan machinations, and makes all
votes count equally.
PUBLIC OPINION POLLS
According to a survey [PDF, 57K] by Field Research Corporation, less than half (47 percent) of registered voters in California support the 2008 ballot initiative to switch California to the congressional district model.