Counting the Votes (And Votes That Count)

Let's overhaul the Electoral College. In 48 of the 50 states, choosing a president conforms to the winner-take-all rule: no matter how close the popular vote is, all the electoral votes for each state are assigned to a single candidate. It is possible for a candidate with 39% of the vote in a three-way race to get 100% of the electoral votes. Try explaining that to the Iraqis, now that we are in the business of exporting democracy.

Maine is one of the two states which attempt to align electoral votes more closely to the popular vote, but even here the system is not perfect. Of Maine's four electoral votes (matching the total number of Maine's Senators and Representatives in the U.S. Congress), two are automatically assigned to the statewide winner. The other two go to the winners in the respective Congressional Districts. Theoretically, a 39% vote-getter can be guaranteed 75% of the electoral votes, still a mismatch.

Common Cause is pushing a plan, called the National Popular Vote Compact, to ensure that the Presidency goes to the top vote-getter nationwide. The plan, described in an op-ed piece in this morning's Boston Globe, would not require a constitutional amendment. Citizens deserve to have their votes counted accurately and weighted fairly, and perhaps electoral reform would help to reduce voter apathy.