[EL] Reps got more popular votes for US House in 1996 than Dems

[Richard Winger]

The Clerk of the US House of Representatives data for 1996 doesn't include the September 21, 1996 election results for US House in Louisiana.  That is why the Clerk's chart shows Democrats got more popular votes than the Republicans nationwide, because the Clerk's data only has the Louisiana returns that took place in November, which was only 2 districts.

The US Supreme Court ruled in 1997 in Foster v Love that Louisiana was breaking the federal law by holding its congressional elections in September.  So, the US Supreme Court agreed with my approach, that the Louisiana election in September was an election, and therefore it is rational for me to have included the September results in those 5 districts.

Rhodes Cook agrees with me.  See America Votes 1996 (vol. 22), page 4.  His compilation of the national US House vote for 1996 by party is:  Republican 43,902,303; Democratic 43,626,470.

Richard Winger

415-922-9779

PO Box 470296, San Francisco Ca 94147
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