Just how many people elect the president of the United States? The answer may surprise you.  Consider the 2000 presidential elections. Even though more than 100 million people voted in the election, only a small portion of those votes in fact were decisive. Indeed the results would have been exactly the same even if nearly 80 million of those voters would have stayed home.

Here’s what we mean:

• Total number of votes cast nationwide in Presidential elections:
• 105,396,641 in 2000
• 131,338,626 in 2008
• Total number of votes cast for the winner in their states won:
• 26,353,058 in 30 states for George W. Bush
• 53,363,321 in 29 states (including DC) for Barack Obama
• Minimum number of votes the winner needed in order to win in those same states:
• 21,835,615 in 30 states for George W. Bush
• 39,908,351 in 29 states (including DC) for Barack Obama
• Total number of votes that did not factor in determining the winner of the president in their respective years:
• To win the Electoral College in 2000, Bush needed only 21,835,615 votes out of a total of 105,396,641 votes.
• To win the Electoral College in 2008, Obama needed only 39,908,351 votes out of a total of 131,338,626 votes.
• Percentage of votes that did not factor in determining the winner in their respective years:
• 79.28% in 2000
• 70.39% in 2008

Electoral College Table of Contents


 

November 29th 2005
S.D. has little say in picking president
ArgusLeader.com

News article about FairVote's Who Picks the President report focuses on changes to make South Dakota voters a player in presidential elecitons. Runs on state Associated Press wire in several papers.

November 14th 2005
Group questions Louisiana's influence
The Louisiana Advocate

FairVote's "Who Picks the President" report generates interest for Louisiana columnist.

November 9th 2005
Primary reform good for Nebraska
Lincoln Journal Star

An editorial using FairVote's report Who Picks the President to underscore the importance of electoral college and primary schedule reform.

November 1st 2005
The Shrinking Battleground
Tom Paine.com

FairVote's Chris Pearson and Ryan O'Donnell argue that the Electoral College has a wide range of negative consequences for American democracy.

October 27th 2005
Parties should make direct election of president a priority
Seattle Post-Intelligencer

FairVote's Ryan O'Donnell argues that a genuine commitment to inclusion should impel both parties to think seriously about direct election for president.

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