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The Contemporary Presidency : How the 2012 Presidential Election Has Strengthened the Movement for the National Popular Vote Plan
Author(s) -
Richie Robert,
Levien Andrea
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
presidential studies quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.337
H-Index - 5
eISSN - 1741-5705
pISSN - 0360-4918
DOI - 10.1111/psq.12027
Subject(s) - presidency , political science , presidential system , presidential election , electoral college , state (computer science) , statute , inequality , public administration , law , political economy , sociology , politics , mathematical analysis , mathematics , algorithm , computer science
The U nited S tates has reached an unprecedented level of inequality in presidential elections. In 2012, only 10 states drew the major party presidential candidates for postconvention campaign events, and those same 10 states attracted 99.6% of all general election television advertising spending by the campaigns and their allies. The remaining 41 spectator states (counting the D istrict of C olumbia) included all 38 states that had been similarly overlooked in 2008. This article details these inequalities and their roots in state statutes allocating electoral votes on a winner‐take‐all basis. It argues that states should end this inequality by enacting the N ational P opular V ote interstate compact, which would ensure that it is the popular vote in all 50 states and the D istrict of C olumbia that determines who becomes the president.