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 12th 2000
The Case Against the Electoral College
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

November 9th 2000
The Case Against the Electoral College
Various

A variety of FairVote commentaries on a direct popular election with a majority requirement in response to the 2000 election debaukle.

October 3rd 2000
A New Way to Vote: Voting Doesn't Have To Be Either-Or

Wicker's editorial provides a compelling arguement to turn towards instant runoff voting to replace the current plurality system that the local, state, and national governments use.

October 1st 2000
The Perils of the Electoral College

FairVote's Steven Hill provides an explanation to why the Electoral College must be eliminated and how American democracy can improve through electoral reforms like direct election of the President through an instant runoff voting system.

July 1st 2000
System stacked against Nader, Buchanan
Newsday

If Nader wins 5 percent of the nationwide vote in November, the Greens will be guaranteed federal funding for their next presidential campaign.

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