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


 

June 3rd 2007
Bringing democracy to presidential voting
Raleigh News & Observer

Political Science professor, Clyde Frazier, makes a strong case in favor of the national popular vote plan.

May 27th 2007
A Plan to Make Each Vote Count
Durham Herald-Sun

Guest columnist Lee Mortimer explains how the North Carolina Senate has taken a move in the right direction by passing the National Popular Vote plan.

May 25th 2007
Our unfinished Constitution
Los Angeles Times

Writer David Stewart puts the Electoral College in historical perspective and details the problems created by the current system, while praising NPV as an "ingenious strategy" for overcoming them.

May 18th 2007
Time to graduate from Electoral College
Boston Herald

Citing broad support among elected officials, this Boston Herland columnist praises the National Popular Vote legislation in Massachusetts and beyond.

May 16th 2007
Our View: Electoral vote change would be good for the state and its people
Fayetteville Observer

The Fayetteville Observer backs the national popular vote plan as a means to make North Carolina in presidential elections, without amending the Constitution.

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