FairVote - More Options

More Options

We hear all too often that voters feel they must decide between the “lesser of two evils”. In part, that is due to the strategic thinking that must be employed in the Electoral system. It is also inherant in the process of selecting a vice presidential candidate.

When a presidential candidate is looking for a running mate, few considerations will impact the number of feasible choices as much as geography. Vice Presidential candidates today are picked based on what they bring to the ticket regionally – they come to the ticket assuming they will carry their home state and possibly a few around it. For example North Carolinian John Edwards was selected to be John Kerry's running mate in 2004 in large part because John Kerry wanted to increase his competitiveness in the South, a region that had been swept by George W. Bush four years earlier. With direct election, the home state advantage will not play a strong role, opening up the option of selecting the best candidate regardless of geographic location.

Vague Values

Electoral Replacements

Electoral Tie

Favorite Son Effect

A Few States Wins

Constitutional Residence

State Size

Special Interests

Power of State Legislatures

Unlucky Luck

Ignoring Your Vote

Electoral College Table of Contents



Home. > Presidential Elections Reform > Resources > Electoral College > How the Electoral College works today > Little Known Facts > More Options
	More Options We hear all too often that voters feel they must decide between the “lesser of two evils”. In part, that is due to the strategic thinking that must be employed in the Electoral system. It is also inherant in the process of selecting a vice presidential candidate. When a presidential candidate is looking for a running mate, few considerations will impact the number of feasible choices as much as geography. Vice Presidential candidates today are picked based on what they bring to the ticket regionally – they come to the ticket assuming they will carry their home state and possibly a few around it. For example North Carolinian John Edwards was selected to be John Kerry's running mate in 2004 in large part because John Kerry wanted to increase his competitiveness in the South, a region that had been swept by George W. Bush four years earlier. With direct election, the home state advantage will not play a strong role, opening up the option of selecting the best candidate regardless of geographic location. Vague Values Electoral Replacements Electoral Tie Favorite Son Effect A Few States Wins Constitutional Residence State Size Special Interests Power of State Legislatures Unlucky Luck Ignoring Your Vote Electoral College Table of Contents	April 10th 2007 What's Right with Maryland Editor's Cut (The Nation blog) The Nation's editor, Katrina Vanden Heuvel, blogs in support of NPV. April 10th 2007 O'Malley Signs Bill to Bypass Electoral College The Washington Post Maryland becomes the first state to enact NPV. April 10th 2007 Maryland wants to rework U.S. presidential election process The International Herald Tribune Leading international daily reports on the passage of NPV by Maryland. April 9th 2007 Electoral College is Outdated The Denver Post The Denver Post makes a positive appraisal of the National Popular Vote plan and concludes that the lack of representativeness in the current Electoral College system will become clear upon further deliberation. April 6th 2007 Popular Vote for President Worth Consideration Anderson Herald Bulletin, IN Herald Bulletin editorial discusses the outdated nature of the Electoral College and the rationale for having a national popular vote for president. [ Previous ] [ Next ]