Al Gore: Electoral College System Should Be Replaced By Popular Vote

[moonbladem]

Former Vice President Al Gore gave a strong endorsement on Thursday for abandoning the Electoral College and returning to a presidential election system more heavily determined by the popular vote

Comments

[thedorkygirl]

He makes a very good point about the electoral college effectively disenfranchising the minority party voters in states. Living in Dallas, I am much more motivated to vote for local elections because I feel like my vote makes more of a difference. I would never NOT vote in the presidential election, but I feel like my vote, at the moment, is a symbolic gesture - Texas will not go blue, even with our jerrymandering thrown out.

[texasoddity]

mte. My (presidential) vote in Texas seems pointless but I vote anyway. I live in a blue county.

[mirhanda]

If they don't scrap the e.c. I wouldn't mind seeing at least a revamp with proportional representation. Like if a state votes 45% republican and 55% democratic, then those E.C. votes would be apportioned that way.

[backupblood]

I wonder why he's saying this now when there are some analysts who think that the electoral college could be the thing that gives Obama the win.

[mollywobbles867]

because it's about more than one election.

[mollywobbles867]

As a resident of TN, my presidential vote feels largely symbolic since I am a very liberal person in a very conservative state. I think a return to using the popular vote to determine who wins the presidency would make people who don't bother voting in states that are always blue or always red to actually vote.

[ecrivais]

it's not even about being in a conservative state sometimes, sometimes it's about being in a conservative district which skews the house and senate

ughhhhhhhh founding fathers why did you not think of these things?!?!?!?!?!?

[mirhanda]

Or the opposite I suppose. Last election, my county was the only county in my state that went for Obama/Biden. Imagine how many more might have turned out to vote if they knew it would have counted for something.

[shechoselove]

Last election, my county was the only county in my state that went for Obama/Biden.

Oh my. Where do you live?

[ecrivais]

me too. I really wish he had won like he should have in 2000.

[mirhanda]

+1

[girl_fusion]

Agree!! I still grieve the 2000 elections. :(

[anolinde]

Yeah, as someone in a traditionally liberal-leaning state my vote pretty much doesn't count. No matter how I vote.

I would love for them to get rid of the electoral college, but I doubt they're going to do it any time soon. =/