From Deseret News archives:
Battlegrounds: Race renews debate over electoral role
Race renews debate over electoral role
But just as the networks are about to declare him the winner, word comes that Colorado voters have adopted little-noticed Amendment 36, scrapping the winner-take-all system starting with this election.
The state's electoral votes are awarded by percentage of the popular vote. So instead of getting all nine votes, Bush gets five, Kerry gets four and Kerry squeaks in, until the first lawsuit is filed at midnight and armies of lawyers parachute into Denver to battle over the referendum.
"If that amendment passes, and the candidates are in the 265-275 range of electoral votes, it could be a legal nightmare," predicted Michael Kanner, a political scientist at the University of Colorado at Boulder. "The courts could decide the election."
Some analysts predict that that would finally focus attention on an Electoral College system that many see as an 18th-century relic.
"Given the intensity and passion of this year, the side that wins the popular vote and loses the electoral would go ballistic," said G. Terry Madonna, who directs the Center for Politics and Public Affairs at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa.
When Bush took the presidency in 2000 while losing the popular vote, it was the first time the Electoral College time bomb had blown up since 1888. Madonna thinks it's ticking again.
A 'dinosaur'?
Every four years, some voters are surprised to learn that they're electing the president only indirectly. The popular-vote winner in each state is entitled to electors, who meet in December to formally elect the president. Two states, Maine and Nebraska, already allocate one electoral vote to the winner in each congressional district, with two votes for the statewide winner.
Comments
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When I was a kid, I worshipped my grandpa. He was undoubtedly my hero....
watch out for next year for sure, the negatives are just closet (and...
And something else, I generally follow players from the state schools when...
I could care less that Max Hall said what he did. The feeling is mutual BYU...
Dear Max, probably could have done without that comment. Probably would've...
As a Utah fan, let me first say congratulations to Max Hall, the Cougars, and...
Geno's and Pat's are good.. but, they are mostly for tourists, the real...
(You even got a middle initial... how's that for 'ya Max) It's nice to see...
Even today, I still cannot get enough of this movie or Charles Gitonga Maina....
...disappointed with Max Hall's comments that he hates everything about UofU....
Over the last few days I read comments of people complaining about tasteless...




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