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


 

March 14th 2002
Just because majority of voters hate you, it doesn't mean you can't win
Daily Herald

John Anderson is cited with his description of instant runoff voting (IRV), which would introduce majority voting and improve democracy.

August 20th 2001
Hard-won voting rights always in peril
San Francisco Examiner

We must break from the two-party system, institute proportional representation, implement instant runoff voting (IRV), and begin direct election of the President in order to truly level the playing field for minorities and women.

July 12th 2001
Preventing the next Florida fiasco
Daily Texan

The Daily Texan discusses the massive benefits brought by instant-runoff voting to an electoral system.

March 12th 2001
Reclaiming Democracy
The American Prospect

NYU law professor Burt Neuborne discusses a wide range of reforms, including calls for serious consideration of instant runoff voting and proportional voting methods

January 24th 2001
Meddling with Reform/A Clear Majority Winner in 2000
TomPaine.com

Rob Richie proposes instant runoff voting and proportional allocation of electoral votes at a time when national popular election of the president seems unlikely; John Anderson offers IRV as a remedy to the spoiler effect.

[ Previous ] [ Next ]