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