Stanford Professor Stumps for Electoral College Alternative

[Kadie]

SACRAMENTO
Stanford professor stumps for electoral alternative
Matthew Yi, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau

Monday, July 24, 2006


(07-24) 04:00 PDT Sacramento -- A Stanford University computer science professor has come up with an idea to circumvent the more than 200-year-old Electoral College system and institute a national popular vote to elect the president of the United States.

The proposal by John Koza, who also invented the scratch-off lottery ticket, is receiving serious consideration by lawmakers in several states. Legislators in California, New York, Colorado, Illinois and Missouri have sponsored bills to enact such a plan.

Koza's scheme calls for an interstate compact that would require states to throw all of their electoral votes behind the winner of the national popular vote, regardless of which candidate wins in each state. The plan doesn't require all 50 states to join, but a combination of states that represent a majority (at least 270) of the electoral votes. If the largest states join in the agreement, only 11 would be needed.

Supporters say the proposal would avoid such controversial results as the 2000 presidential election when Republican George W. Bush was declared the winner despite losing the popular vote to Al Gore, a Democrat. There were three other instances in the history of the United States -- 1824, 1876 and 1888 -- when the winner of the popular vote lost in the Electoral College vote.

Proponents say Koza's proposal is ingenious because it would avoid the immensely difficult task of trying to get rid of the Electoral College system by amending the U.S. Constitution.

more...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/07/24/MNGIHK4CSQ1.DTL

[Skink]

1. Simple really.

All we really need is Ohio.

[porphyrian]

2. I don't think I get it.

Someone 'splain to me how that's necessarily any better.

[Skink]

3. If NH goes for Nader or Bush but Gore wins the popular vote NH must

vote for Gore.

[porphyrian]

4. Yeah, but why is that better?

If NH goes for Gore but bush wins the popular vote, NH would have to vote for bush. "Tyranny of the majority" stuff.

If we're going to overhaul the electoral system, why not institute instant run-off voting?

[Skink]

5. The above was an example of how this is IRV.....

Nader cost Gore the state of NH. Those four electoral votes would have given Gore the election.

[Clarkie1]

6. What an ingenious idea!

I think it's a great idea...no need for a constitutional ammendment, yet it would virtually assure the popular vote winner got the most electoral votes. I hope many states adopt this. Write to your legislators!