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


 

January 1st 2001
The time is ripe for real electoral reform. Why not try democracy in America?
The Hightower Lowdown

Major article about electoral reform with sections advocating instant runoff voting and proportional representation

December 17th 2000
Prof. Guinier writes on Florida and Proportional Representation
San Jose Mercury News

2000 presidential elections revealed the problem of american democracy, which can be solved in various way, one of them being proportional voting.

December 8th 2000
Formula for a Fair Count
Grist

The plurality voting in US violates basic rules of fair and democratic elections, when despite receiving more of the popular vote, the candidate still loses.

December 4th 2000
The Nation Covers Electoral Reform
The Nation

After the 2000 election, The Nation runs several articles criticizing poor voting technology, the Electoral College, the two-party system, and single-member districts.

November 16th 2000
Stand and be counted
Baltimore Sun

Presidential elections in 2000 were the great opportunity for Center and Democracy to take the message about instant runoff voting (IRS) to the general public.

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