Do state's electoral colleges usually vote with the states popular vote (ex- if in new york john kerry won the popular vote, is the electoral college most likely going to give him their votes or do they have a mind of their own?)
2007-07-11 12:09:05 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Elections
Not only do they almost always vote with the popular vote, but almost all of the states have a winner take all system, where whoever wins the popular vote in that state gets all of the state's electoral votes. That is what really distorts the results. So theoretically you could win the election by 50 votes (winning by one vote in each state) and then get 100% of the electoral votes. Or you could lose the popular vote, like George Bush did in 2000, but still get a majority of the electoral vote.
2007-07-11 12:18:36 · answer #1 · answered by rollo_tomassi423 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The state's entire electoral vote is SUPPOSED to go to the candidate that received the most votes. On some very rare occasions, one or more of the electoral votes have been cast for a different candidate. I believe the last time that happened was in the 1950's when a single vote was cast for another person. It did not change the final results as the difference in electoral votes that year was far greater than 1. Some states have passed laws to prevent that from happening again.
2007-07-11 13:18:13 · answer #2 · answered by MICHAEL R 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Several states have laws binding their electors in various ways. They are generally bound to the candidate winning the most votes, not necessarily a majority, In the 92 election Clinton did not get a majority in a lot of states but he got all the electoral votes because his electors got the most votes. I do not know about New York.
This is a situation where the electoral college works in apportioning their votes even whena candidate does not get a majority. Without a "none of the above" box on the ballot it allows a decision to be made in a timely fashion.
2007-07-11 12:22:52 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They CAN vote as they individually choose to, but traditionally they vote according to the popular vote.
2007-07-11 12:12:50 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the popular vote.
2007-07-11 12:12:05 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most give the pop winner all votes. one or two split them up by percentage of pop vote.
http://www.dryflypolitics.com
2007-07-11 12:35:43 · answer #6 · answered by sbay311 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋