From: Brian D Williams (talon57@well.com)
Date: Thu Nov 09 2000 - 12:12:07 MST
From: "S.J. Van Sickle" <sjvan@csd.uwm.edu>
>>Brian D Williams wrote:
>> It might eliminate the extremely obnoxious press coverage on
>> election night where they were calling the election hours before
>> before polls had closed.
>I don't know about your other points, Brian, but on this one I
>have actual experience. I worked the AP election "war room" in
>New Orleans for 15 years worth of elections. Strict popular vote
>would make it *much* easier to "call" an election early. We would
>compare vote totals with historical voting patterns; with only a
>popular vote it could probably be "called" after only 2 or 3 key
>eastern states closed.
If the patterns were the same everywhere, maybe AS easy I'll grant.
Here's another point, it doesn't matter how many people vote, so
long as you get the most votes in a state. Theoretically one person
voting in Calif (only one) could give a candidate 56 electoral
votes. A handfull in key states could successfully oppose millions
to 1 odds.
Actually the systems flaws speak for themselves, the guy who got
less votes may actually win.
Brian
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