Electoral College v. Popular Vote???

[Khayr]

Salaamz,

 

For those in the states,

can anyone explain to me what the Electoral College is?

From what I read, its based on Population of the state (I.e. if Texas is the most poplus state, then it has the most electroal votes) and also based on what senator/governor represents that state (I might be wrong!) and also, it only works under a 2 party system.

 

In anycase, its interesting how this Electoral College exists in a country the advocates for Democracy? :confused:

 

I say this because from what I read, the Electroal College represent more often then not, rural america and only yhe Informed, Elites make the vote and not the average U.S. citizen (popular vote is avg. u.s. registered voter)

 

Electrol College Explaination

 

Fi Amanillah

[General Duke]

What everone helps get Bush out..

[Nationalist]

Smith, who says getting Bush out will be beneficial for muslims like you and me in the long run?

I reckon Kerry is another evil and certainly not a lesser evil mate.

He might be even worse than Bush. Thereby giving my claim a boost by his hardline approach on Osama's new video.

[General Duke]

Nationalist, lets deal with the bigger devil, if Bush wins his neo-con agenda would have been vindicated. Without another election what would restrain him and the Project for the new American century?

[Nationalist]

You got me there mate.

Regarding Nader's warning to the muslim community in the US not to vote for Kerry, it shows Kerry is not quite the savior of the muslims.

Granted, he vouched for a US that will respect the world more and stop interfering in other countries. But do you actually think the US, a country that letteraly lives and exists on domination, will abandon Bush's strategy?

US policy has been consistent since George Washington, why would it change with Kerry if we had Kennedy and Clinton?

[Senora]

This is not the off-topic section guys.....

 

I'm going to try my best

 

The electoral college system is a sort of checks and balance system that gives the power to both the people that vote and the States. The electors are chosen by the parties(nominated, or voted for in a convention). The amount of electors are equivalent to the number of Senators(2) and Representatives( based on population) each state has. How the electors selected is broken up into two main parts:

1) Majority of the states go by a "winners take all" concept. This means that whoever wins the majority of the votes in that state, ALL of the electors cast their vote for that candidate.

2) Few states just go by another system. Whichever candidate recieves the most votes statewide, two electors cast their vote for that candidate. The person who gets the majority of the votes in each House district is cast by each electoral. *i favor this electoral system better*

 

**Its totally legal for them to vote against the majority vote**

 

Then the votes are counted and revealed by Congress in January. But by then we pretty much know who won because typically electorals are selected by the two methods i shown.

[Khayr]

Salaamz,

 

So when does the Electoral Vote take place?

I ask this because according to the Electoral vote, Bush already won in Ohio!

 

Whats the deal with the early vote business anyways?

 

Fi Amanillah

[Bachelor]

Whats the deal with the early vote business anyways?

Sister busy and sick people and those who dont like long que tends to prefare early voting. Since last Florida debacle people seems to have learnt few lesson.

[Senora]

^^It does sound like a girl name huh j/k...Hes a brother.....brother!

 

Khayr,

 

That rumour isnt true. Federal law states, that the electors cast their vote on the monday following the second wednesday in December.

 

You see let me make it a little clearer. Each party ( democrats, republicans, independents, libertarians, etc) submit to the states election official( i think thats their name) their electors. For example, In Georgia, we have 13 Representatives, and 2 Senators, so the Democratic, Republican , independants, etc., EACH submit their 15 electors! So whichever party recieves the popular votes, the state gets their electors. So if Bush recieves the most votes in Georgia, Georgia gets Bush's 15 electors. His 15 electors will vote on December 13, 2004. Like I said earlier, they dont necessarily have to vote for Bush, but we can expect they will!

 

hope you got it!

[NASSIR]

I think the link you provided is helpful and can answer all of your questions.

 

As already said whoever wins the popular vote in each states win all the electoral vote from every state because the most populated states such as California and New York are both Democrats, so to prevent injustice and underrepresentation from smaller states with less population, electoral votes is there for them and can have an effect on the overall result of the election. For example, Kerry didn't go to Texas and New Mexico the same for Bush. He didn't canvass California and New York. These are pure Republican and Democrat states respectively. Therefore, whoever wins the battle states wins the presidency most of the time. The battle states are MN, Michigan, Florida, Georgia, and so on, mostly midwest and south.