This piece is an exercise to compare and discuss America’s election system with a few other popular democracies in the world and establish that America’s system, though the oldest and most popular, does not always represent the wish of the popular votes/voters. It has nothing to do with Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump in the last election. Just a topic for discussion for politically informed forum members who can engage in civil discussion in a public forum.

The Electoral College Votes
To become the president of USA, a candidate needs to garner 270 electoral college votes.

With the Electoral College system, a less popular candidate can become America’s president over a more popular candidate. It happened with Al Gore in 2000 when he won more popular votes than George Bush then but lost the election. Based on the figures released so far, Hillary Clinton is ahead of Trump by 219,762 votes (Clinton currently has 59,755,284 votes while Trump has 59,535,522).
Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2016/11/09/politics/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-popular-vote/index.html

How It Works
Simply put, the more people in a state, the more electoral college votes it has. For example, Texas has a population of 25 million and is allocated 38 Electoral College votes, while Delaware has a population of 1,000,000 and has only three votes.

Let us use Texas, Delaware and four other states like Delaware as example and assume that all people there vote (for simplicity purpose).
If Candidate A wins Texas by 5000 votes (receiving 12,505,000 votes), he gets the 38 Electoral College votes while Candidate B with 12,495,000 votes gets NOTHING! And if Candidate B wins five states like Delaware by about 50,000 in each of them (scoring 550,000 in each), he gets just 15 electoral College votes (3 electoral college votes x 5 states) though Candidate A gets no electoral votes as well.

But if we add their total votes together, we’ll realize that Candidate A scores 14,755,000 votes in total (i.e. 12,505,000 + 450,000x5) and Candidate B scores 15,245,000 votes (i.e. 12,495,000 + 550,000x5). While Candidate B has clearly scored more popular votes, it is Candidate A that has won the election with 38 Electoral College Votes to Candidate B’s 15 even though he has received 490,000 votes less than Candidate B!

In fact, Donald Trump himself condemned the system in a tweet in 2012 when he said "The electoral college is a disaster for a democracy," following Mitt Romney's loss in 2012.
Clearly, the president of the USA does not necessarily represent the choice of the majority in a general election as we have seen on five occasions in the past! Three instances in 19th Century and two in 21st Century. Can anyone beat that?

UK Parliamentary System
In the UK, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is the Head of Government of the United Kingdom.the Prime Minister is not directly elected. Instead, the public vote for a single Member of Parliament, a representative from their constituency. There are 650 MPs in total. If one political party has a majority in the Commons, then the leader of that party will be appointed Prime Minister. http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_the_United_Kingdom
As we can see, the Prime Minister represents the opinion and wish of majority of the population of UK.

India
India is the world’s largest democracy. In the Indian system, fashioned after the British Westminster system, the prime minister is the head of Government and is appointed by the Lok Sabha, rather than elected directly by voters as is common in presidential systems. The party holding a majority in the Lok Sabha elects its leader prime minister.

Should no party possess a simple majority, different parties will form coalitions until they acquire the requisite number of seats to elect a prime minister successfully. An important feature of India’s prime ministerial election process is that all candidates have to be either a member of the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha, meaning that they contest elections for a particular seat from within a particular locality.
For example, the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi recently stated that he will contest his parliamentary seat from Varanasi. The president of India is the head of state and is elected by the 545 members of the Lok Sabha, 238 members of the Rajya Sabha and India’s various state assemblies. http://thediplomat.com/2014/03/how-indias-national-elections-work/
Again, the president is a direct product of the majority’s wish.

Russia
The President is elected in a two-round system every six years, with a two-consecutive term limitation. Prior to 2012, the term of office was four years. If no candidate wins by an absolute majority in the first round, a second election round is held between two candidates with the most votes. Read more here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_Russia
Clearly again, the president is eventually elected by popular votes.

Nigeria
In Nigeria, not only that a presidential candidate needs to win the popular votes, he also needs to win 25% of the total votes in two-third of the 36 states of the federation.
Surely, the president so elected will reflect the popular view of the people (at least on paper, not factoring rigging. Lol!).

Conclusion
Despite its success and the honor of being the oldest democracy in the world, America’s election system has a huge flaw that tarnishes the flaunted status of being the world’s best democracy. A system that does not guarantee that the candidate with the most votes in a election gets the chance to lead his/her people cannot be said to be the best.


Thoughts?

Democracy is just too full of drama my brother.

adekennis:
Democracy is just too full of drama my brother.

I tell you. And to imagine that America wants to impose it on every country of the world is baffling.

Oga dropshot nothing is wrong with popular votes not representing electoral college


2012, obama had more popular votes of 64 to his rival mc cain 58 den and won more electoral votes to be elected

approximately 80 million people parcitipated in all dis ipos online and early voting

the popular of thing was just too much exagirated by all dis yeye democratic celebrity thing...

America electorate are more informed than all the "ijo eleya" dance and stunts the corrupt political elites are pulling


when the world was busy carried away by media shenanigans plotted by the democrats.....the majority middle class whites and some blacks america;who were disappointed in obama of being ineffectual, and not following the america dreams, voted massively for Trump

to say something is wrong with it is going against majority of people who voted Trump in.

In my opinion, both systems have it's flaws.

Let's use the Nigerian system for example, I can win or rig 95% of votes from the states that i am more popular, this we saw in Kano, Kaduna, Rivers, Akwa-Ibom etc. The figures cannot be preempted by the candidates. There was the case in Oyo state where votes from 4 local governments from Ogbomoso swallowed the the difference between the leading candidates in 11 local governments of Ibadan.

The system in US is purely scientific, you can calculate your way to victory. Just target the states with huge electoral college votes just as Trump did and win the election. It is a level playing field for all candidates.

bodejohn:
In my opinion, both systems have it's flaws.

Let's use the Nigerian system for example, I can win or rig 95% of votes from the states that i am more popular, this we saw in Kano, Kaduna, Rivers, Akwa-Ibom etc. The figures cannot be preempted by the candidates. There was the case in Oyo state where votes from 4 local governments from Ogbomoso swallowed the the difference between the leading candidates in 11 local governments of Ibadan.

The system in US is purely scientific, you can calculate your way to victory. Just target the states with huge electoral college votes just as Trump did and win the election. It is a level playing field for all candidates.

Let's base our discussion on what ought to be - free, fair and credible election devoid of rigging.

In that case, Nigeria's system will result in the person with most votes and better spread becoming the president.

On the other hand, America's system doesn't guarantee that no matter how we spin it.

Such scenario can always result in protests as it's being currently witnessed in at least 26 cities in USA.

Why all these analysis and frustration just because Donald Trump is now President-elect of the USA?

[s]

ShameOwoda:
Why all these analysis and frustration just because Donald Trump is now President-elect of the USA?

[/s]
Lack of proper upbringing?

DropShot:


I tell you. And to imagine that America wants to impose it on every country of the world is baffling.

The irony is that Trump threw a tantrum about this cos he thought it wasn't going to go his way... He has now benefited from the "rigged" system he tried to discredit...

modath:


The irony is that Trump threw a tantrum about this cos he thought it wasn't going to go his way... He has now benefited from the "rigged" system he tried to discredit...

Well, he's correct the system is "rigged" wrt the electoral college system.

And of course he won't mind benefiting from the "rigged" system na. Who will?

DropShot:
[s][/s]
Lack of proper upbringing?

Is that why all of you are about to commit suicide? Just because Trump won?

What of when your Buhari won here?

DropShot:


I tell you. And to imagine that America wants to impose it on every country of the world is baffling.

Cos that's the only way they can penetrate every country for their selfish interest..Democracy is is cancer.

IAmOged:



Oga dropshot nothing is wrong with popular votes not representing electoral college


2012, obama had more popular votes of 64 to his rival mc cain 58 den and won more electoral votes to be elected

approximately 80 million people parcitipated in all dis ipos online and early voting

the popular of thing was just too much exagirated by all dis yeye democratic celebrity thing...

America electorate are more informed than all the "ijo eleya" dance and stunts the corrupt political elites are pulling


when the world was busy carried away by media shenanigans plotted by the democrats.....the majority middle class whites and some blacks america;who were disappointed in obama of being ineffectual, and not following the america dreams, voted massively for Trump

to say something is wrong with it is going against majority of people who voted Trump in.

Like I said, this is not to analyze how and why Trump won or Hillary lost. It's about the system which makes it possible for a candidate to be president despite not enjoying the popular support.

Do you think it is right?

ShameOwoda:


You are a useless beast of burden, fit only to be fed to crocrodiles.

Worthless bastard of a thousand demonic fathers.

I thought you have big mouth.

Why not take me on instead of crying like a baby to the MODs.

Bastarrd ape.

Lalasticlala Seun Mynd44 OAM4J, rule 2 is being broken with reckless abandon here.

modath:



The irony is that Trump threw a tantrum about this cos he thought it wasn't going to go his way... He has now benefited from the "rigged" system he tried to discredit...

when did trump say that?

when did electoral colleges votes not tallying popular votes becomes rigging?

and who told you clinton has more popularity than Trump? forget CNNpol, ipos phony figure and all dis nonsense media outlets oo
watch Fox and you will think Trump has more Popular vote than Clinton.....watch CNN and you think otherwise..

DropShot:


Well, he's correct the system is "rigged" wrt the electoral college system.

And of course he won't mind benefiting from the "rigged" system na. Who will?

If na you nko, nor be you side you go allocate the bigger share, we only complain about undue advantage when it doesn't go our way but when it does... We love it.

One thing :Trump is a showman for real, he knows just what to say & how to say it and hit his mark... He is good.. The hillbillies ate everything up like sharwama..
Build a wall indeed!!

DropShot:

Like I said, this is not to analyze how and why Trump won or Hillary lost. It's about the system which makes it possible for a candidate to be president despite not enjoying the popular support.

Do you think it is right?

and who told you clinton has more popular support than Trump? forget CNNpol, reuterspols,online ipos....they are all phony figures and all dis nonsense media outlets shenanigans oo
watch Fox and you will think Trump has more Popular vote than Clinton.....watch CNN and you think otherwise..



i dont see anything wrong in the system..

Where is Dropshot?

IAmOged:


when did trump say that?

You'd know if you weren't dependent on one radio station's narrative... I stay on top of the news so i won't have to ask this kind of question publicly..

when did electoral colleges votes not tallying popular votes becomes rigging?

and who told you clinton has more popularity than Trump? forget CNNpol, ipos phony figure and all dis nonsense media outlets oo
watch Fox and you will think Trump has more Popular vote than Clinton.....watch CNN and you think otherwise..

I'm going to drop this here for the benefit of some who genuinely aren't aware.

http://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/apr/11/donald-trump-laments-rigged-crooked-system-after-t/

IAmOged:
and who told you clinton has more popular support than Trump? forget CNNpol, reuterspols,online ipos....they are all phony figures and all dis nonsense media outlets shenanigans oo
watch Fox and you will think Trump has more Popular vote than Clinton.....watch CNN and you think otherwise..



i dont see anything wrong in the system..

According to fox news Clinton polled 59,938,290 to Trump's 59,704,886 - a difference of 233,404 http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2016/presidential-election-headquarters

modath:


If na you nko, nor be you side you go allocate the bigger share, we only complain about undue advantage when it doesn't go our way but when it does... We love it.

One thing :Trump is a showman for real, he knows just what to say & how to say it and hit his mark... He is good.. The hillbillies ate everything up like sharwama..
Build a wall indeed!!

Of course! Trump proved his mettle despite all odds.

But to be candid, the system is screwed. It cost Al Gore as well.

The fearful part of it is, if not checked, it could snowball one day as election becomes far more competitive.

IAmOged:


when did trump say that?

when did electoral colleges votes not tallying popular votes becomes rigging?

and who told you clinton has more popularity than Trump? forget CNNpol, ipos phony figure and all dis nonsense media outlets oo
watch Fox and you will think Trump has more Popular vote than Clinton.....watch CNN and you think otherwise..

Trump never hid his disdain and condemnation of the electoral college system.

On several occasions,, he actually condemned it. The irony is, he has benefited from the screwed system.

modath:


You'd know if you weren't dependent on one radio station's narrative... I stay on top of the news so i won't have to ask this kind of question publicly..




I'm going to drop this here for the benefit of some who genuinely aren't aware.

http://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/apr/11/donald-trump-laments-rigged-crooked-system-after-t/

lolz....2012


they can as well republished Trump personal opinion on mc cain not being an hero during d vietnam war.....

opinions can change mummy mi

IAmOged:


lolz....2012

Does it make a difference?

DropShot:

Trump never hid his disdain and condemnation of the electoral college system.

On several occasions,, he actually condemned it. The irony is, he has benefited from the screwed system.

Trump cant be right more than those who voted him in

inasmuch its represent what d people want....so.....

dis system has been working for them for generations...

and shey u no know say Trump na rash ma, wetin rash man no fit talk.

DropShot:
Does it make a difference?

yes....just like the 2005 grabbing audio...
meanwhile, its a one man opinion not all