Reforming presidential elections

PS 408 – The American Presidency

October 16, 2007

Electoral college reform

Electoral college reform: Abolish, reform, or leave alone?

Abolish – pros and cons of direct popular vote?

Schlesinger plan – bonus to the national popular vote winner.

The California plan – allocate by congressional district (used in ME and Neb.). Constitutional problem: state legislatures determine the manner in which electors are selected, not the voters. St. Louis guy behind the plan.

Electoral college reform, cont.

MD plan – each state pledges to allocate its votes to the popular vote winner. It takes effect when states with a majority of electoral votes have approved the plan. Avoids the need for a constitutional amendment. MD only state to have passed. CA legislature passed it, but Arnold vetoed it.

Leave alone – advantages of the electoral college. Stability. Promotes the two-party system. Provides more decisive victories.

Reforming the nomination process

Direct national primary. Regional primary – four sections of the nation, alternate

who goes first every four years. America Plan – start with the small states (total of 8

congr. districts), add 8 more CDs every two weeks, gradually expanding the size of the electorate. States randomly chosen for each round. Stagger rounds 4-10 (so it would be 8,16,24,56,32,64,40,72,48,80).

Pros and cons of each? Great ideas, but how to impose?

Constitutionality of nomination reform

Article II, Section 1: Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress.

Article II, Section 1: The Congress may determine the Time of chusing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.

Article I, Section 4: The Times, Places, and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.

Congress is clearly given more power to regulate congressional elections than presidential elections. It is constitutional for parties, but they can’t enforce rules, except by refusing to seat delegates.

Other issues of reform

voter fraud and voter suppression. electronic voting and other methods of voting (vote by

mail, as in Oregon, or internet). Presidential debates. How to change to make them

better? Have both parties participate at this stage. Have candidates respond to different questions, interact more with each other.

Non-partisan election officials – Katherine Harris (FL), Ken Blackwell (OH), most well-known, but practice is widespread in both parties. Make election officials non-partisan. Appt. by gov, with approval of ¾ of state leg.