Some comments on Robin D. Laws’ livejournal have started fuzzing up my brain.
The US has an electoral college system, wherein each state can cast a certain number of votes in the Presidential election, from 3 to 20-something (I think). However, each state is run as a mini-election – and in almost all states, the winner in the state election gets all the state’s votes in the overall election. That is, it isn’t proportional. If a state has 10 votes, and candidate A wins the election 51% to 49%, all 10 votes go to candidate A.
Now this seems absurd and archaic to me.
However, LJ user jbru then said:
“The electoral college, however, is a mechanism by which the individual voter has a greater say in the outcome of the election. See http://www.avagara.com/e_c/reference/00012001.htm”
Now I’m not sure. Its one of those things where I think I understand the nuances – but I’m not 100% sure I do. Is it in fact the case that when I vote, I want the outcome to be determined by the majority of my fellow voters? Or do I want a system that makes each individual vote more powerful (i.e. more likely to swing an election)?
If anyone’s still reading you’re clearly interested in either logic puzzles or politics or both. So go read the links, both of them. If you’re feeling really motivated you can check the logic of my posts there…