The Presidential Election



Presidential Elections in United States

Introduction

As we all know that the presidential elections in United States are indirect in their nature which means that each presidential candidate receives indirect votes through the “electors” in each state (middlemen) who are elected by the popular vote. There are several factors that come into play which eventually determines the results of presidential elections in United States. Some of the obvious factors are the role of media, role of congress, electoral college, socio-economic conditions, the personality and credibility of presidential candidate and his/her ability to raise funds from the public (Gary, 2010).

The role of the “Contested States”

The legislature that directly govern the elections of candidate at every level is bicameral type, consisting of a House of Representatives elected by popular vote in which each state would elect a number of members in proportion to its population and a Senate in which all States elect two senators regardless of their population proportion, while the President, placed at the head of the executive would be elected indirectly by an “Electoral College”. The President is elected indirectly by a panel of 538 "Electors" representing the 50 states and the District of Columbia (DC). To be elected, a President has to win an absolute majority in the Electoral College regardless of whether it corresponds to a similar success in terms of popular support. Irrelevant at the national level, the popular vote becomes of fundamental importance in the individual states, as the winning candidate within a state are assigned to block all the "Great Elector" at its disposal. The choice of electoral system is up to the various state legislatures, though the most used method provides for the popular election of a list of valid throughout the state (Pollard & Studinski, 2009).

In the November Presidential election, according to which electoral system is operated in that state (Winner-takes-all, the Maine system) that ever Candidate wins the popular vote, they win the EC votes. However, this is truly defendant on what voting system in operated within that state. Most states use the 'Winner-takes-all' system; this means that when a Candidate wins the popular vote within that state, they receive all of that states' ECVs. The exceptions are Maine and Nebraska, use 'The Maine system' that rewards 1 vote for every district within a state that a candidate wins, and then 2 votes for winning the state over all. This is a proportional system and has its merits; it means that 3rd party Candidates like Ross Perot (1992) and is a more pluralistic form of democracy. On the other hand it has been shown to produce even less proportional outcomes in elections. Because of the Maine System Al Gore, (Democratic Candidate and incumbent vice president 2000) lost the EC majority by 38 votes rather than four to George 'dub-yah' Bush. This system would not work in Presidential elections unless it was used by all 50 states legislatures. The weaknesses of the Maine system mean that it is not a credible alternative ...