Election results!!!

Shellie · 11-05-2008, 03:15 AM

Allie: Basically, the people do not vote in the election, the states do. The weight of each state is based on its population (winner takes all). The electoral college is the actual vote for president- individuals in the EC pledge to vote for the candidate who gets the simple majority vote in their state. If 50.1% of people vote for candidate A and 49.9% vote for candidate B, then candidate A gets the entire weighted vote of the state.

In light of the last few elections the system seems stupid because the winner isn't necessarily the one who wins the majority vote. But this is the way it is set up in order to preserve the rights of the states (which are responsible for preserving the rights of their residents). I personally think it is still stupid (especially the winner takes all part).

PodWORLD · 11-05-2008, 03:22 AM

Again Shellie you make a good point.

When the numbers are in this time like 04 the popular vote will reflect the college vote. Colleges if abused can be like caucuses but in this case that wont be a problem.

I'm a UK citizen and believe UK and US should have a representational system.

I feel for McCain because he is wearing the brunt of the Bush presidency.

pilot · 11-05-2008, 03:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shellie

Allie: Basically, the people do not vote in the election, the states do. The weight of each state is based on its population (winner takes all). The electoral college is the actual vote for president- individuals in the EC pledge to vote for the candidate who gets the simple majority vote in their state. If 50.1% of people vote for candidate A and 49.9% vote for candidate B, then candidate A gets the entire weighted vote of the state.

In light of the last few elections the system seems stupid because the winner isn't necessarily the one who wins the majority vote. But this is the way it is set up in order to preserve the rights of the states (which are responsible for preserving the rights of their residents). I personally think it is still stupid (especially the winner takes all part).

Agreed, the Electoral College is very stupid.

I do not look forward to going to work tomorrow to face all the glum rednecks if Obama wins-and it looks like he is, in a landslide no less.

He may just be the next illuminati torch bearer-but I do like Michelle Obama-if her spirit and integrity is just an act, it's a darn good one. I'd much rather she be prez...

Rocky_Shorz · 11-05-2008, 03:26 AM

I'm amazed how close the popular vote is running nationwide.

McCain is doing much better than I expected.

Allie · 11-05-2008, 03:30 AM

Thanks for that, Shellie

I'm still a bit confused but I'm wondering if its similar to the way we do it in the UK.

We are divided into counties (I would think the whole of the UK could fit into one of your states

). Each county - depending on its size - is likely to be sub-divided by north, south, east and west. Each will have parliamentary candidates - one for each of the political parties that puts up a candidate. (We do have some jokers, like one headed by Screaming Lord Sutch

)

People go out and vote for their candidate and it is the one who has the most votes in that particular constituency who wins his/her seat in parliament. The party that wins the most counties (seats) becomes the one who forms a government. Whoever gets the second highest number of seats becomes the opposition. It isn't particularly fair because it doesn't represent the national share of the vote. One party - the third (Liberal Democrats) has been calling for proportional representation for years as it is the fairest way, reflecting the national share of the vote.

If that doesn't make sense, well, it's 3.30am now

PodWORLD · 11-05-2008, 03:38 AM

Bush won the popular vote vote by 3 mill in 04. Obama will win it by more as he will win the college vote by more. He's 1.6 mill ahead at the moment and we're still in the early projection phase ahead of the west coast states.

The intricacies of college votes apply to McCain as well as Obama.

In UK Allie we know you're right. I remember Lab and Con accusing Libs of being centrist. Pick a side they said while they both ended up picking the same one - the centre.

Allie · 11-05-2008, 03:44 AM

Ah - they always go for the LibDem's throats and yet there are actually some very good people in that party.

In the last general election I was flummoxed by the fact that on a pre-election program, the studio audience booed Tony Blair as he walked on; were indifferent to Michael Howard and cheered Charles Kennedy.

Blair won. Howard was next, Kennedy last. Bewildering, really.

If all the people that said a vote for the LibDem's is wasted actually voted for them........

11-05-2008, 03:15 AM	#1
Shellie Banned Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 267	Re: Election results!!! Allie: Basically, the people do not vote in the election, the states do. The weight of each state is based on its population (winner takes all). The electoral college is the actual vote for president- individuals in the EC pledge to vote for the candidate who gets the simple majority vote in their state. If 50.1% of people vote for candidate A and 49.9% vote for candidate B, then candidate A gets the entire weighted vote of the state. In light of the last few elections the system seems stupid because the winner isn't necessarily the one who wins the majority vote. But this is the way it is set up in order to preserve the rights of the states (which are responsible for preserving the rights of their residents). I personally think it is still stupid (especially the winner takes all part). Last edited by Shellie; 11-05-2008 at 03:19 AM.

11-05-2008, 03:22 AM	#2
PodWORLD Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 171	Re: Election results!!! Again Shellie you make a good point. When the numbers are in this time like 04 the popular vote will reflect the college vote. Colleges if abused can be like caucuses but in this case that wont be a problem. I'm a UK citizen and believe UK and US should have a representational system. I feel for McCain because he is wearing the brunt of the Bush presidency.

11-05-2008, 03:26 AM	#4
Rocky_Shorz Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: USA Posts: 1,098	Re: Election results!!! I'm amazed how close the popular vote is running nationwide. McCain is doing much better than I expected.

11-05-2008, 03:30 AM	#5
Allie Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 161	Re: Election results!!! Thanks for that, Shellie I'm still a bit confused but I'm wondering if its similar to the way we do it in the UK. We are divided into counties (I would think the whole of the UK could fit into one of your states ). Each county - depending on its size - is likely to be sub-divided by north, south, east and west. Each will have parliamentary candidates - one for each of the political parties that puts up a candidate. (We do have some jokers, like one headed by Screaming Lord Sutch ) People go out and vote for their candidate and it is the one who has the most votes in that particular constituency who wins his/her seat in parliament. The party that wins the most counties (seats) becomes the one who forms a government. Whoever gets the second highest number of seats becomes the opposition. It isn't particularly fair because it doesn't represent the national share of the vote. One party - the third (Liberal Democrats) has been calling for proportional representation for years as it is the fairest way, reflecting the national share of the vote. If that doesn't make sense, well, it's 3.30am now

11-05-2008, 03:38 AM	#6
PodWORLD Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 171	Re: Election results!!! Bush won the popular vote vote by 3 mill in 04. Obama will win it by more as he will win the college vote by more. He's 1.6 mill ahead at the moment and we're still in the early projection phase ahead of the west coast states. The intricacies of college votes apply to McCain as well as Obama. In UK Allie we know you're right. I remember Lab and Con accusing Libs of being centrist. Pick a side they said while they both ended up picking the same one - the centre.

11-05-2008, 03:44 AM	#7
Allie Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 161	Re: Election results!!! Ah - they always go for the LibDem's throats and yet there are actually some very good people in that party. In the last general election I was flummoxed by the fact that on a pre-election program, the studio audience booed Tony Blair as he walked on; were indifferent to Michael Howard and cheered Charles Kennedy. Blair won. Howard was next, Kennedy last. Bewildering, really. If all the people that said a vote for the LibDem's is wasted actually voted for them........