Editorial: Fix this mess, America

R&I – FS

THE ISSUE:
The 2020 election has once again revealed the U.S. electoral system as a chaotic mess.

THE STAKES:
A more perfect union deserves a more perfect way of electing leaders.

Whether you like the outcome of the 2020 presidential election or not, surely most Americans can agree this is not the electoral system this country deserves.

The chaos of this election alone ought to be enough to prompt Americans to want to fix it, or at least to improve it enough to end the crazy quilt of rules that make many wonder if their votes count and that leave the nation uncertain for days who the next president will be.

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One suggestion has been a National Popular Vote Compact, under which states would award electoral votes to whichever candidate won the national popular vote. The compact would take effect only when states endorsing it represent the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the election. So far, 15 states, including New York, and the District of Columbia have adopted it, representing 196 electoral votes.

Another idea: Have each state agree to award its electoral votes only to a candidate who achieves a clear majority in that state. Races with more than two candidates and no majority winner could be settled by runoffs. Or states could adopt ranked voting, in which voters choose among the candidates in order of preference and the winner is determined by a set formula. Or states might apportion electoral votes to candidates based on popular vote totals.

FoundingFrog

Article URL : https://www.timesunion.com/opinion/article/Editorial-Fix-this-mess-America-15714389.php