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


 
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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