[EL] Two thoughts on the Electoral College and National PopularVote

[Tara Ross]

I don't know, either.  But this website is still updating totals.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/lv?key=0AjYj9mXElO_QdHpla01oWE1jOFZR
bnhJZkZpVFNKeVE&toomany=true 

 

 

 

From: law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu
[mailto:law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu] On Behalf Of Sean
Parnell
Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 12:07 PM
To: 'Renee Christensen'; 'law-election at UCI.EDU'
Subject: Re: [EL] Two thoughts on the Electoral College and National
PopularVote

 

Just a random, non-specific phrase on my part. Would be interested in
knowing the breakdown myself, between "tallied but not certified" and
"still counting" states.

 

Sean Parnell

President

Impact Policy Management, LLC

6411 Caleb Court

Alexandria, VA  22315

571-289-1374 (c)

sean at impactpolicymanagement.com

 

From: law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu
[mailto:law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu] On Behalf Of
Renee Christensen
Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 12:53 PM
To: law-election at UCI.EDU
Subject: Re: [EL] Two thoughts on the Electoral College and National
Popular Vote

 

Just a comment re "17 states have completed their tallies".  Not sure if
the author is using the phrase "completed their tallies" deliberately,
or mixing up "completed their tallies" with the state's final action of
certifying election results.

 

Here in DC, the Board of Elections has completed the tallying of votes,
is currently doing a statutorily required pre-certification audit, with
tentative certification scheduled for Thursday.    

 

From: law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu
[mailto:law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu] On Behalf Of Sean
Parnell
Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 11:52 AM
To: law-election at UCI.EDU
Subject: [EL] Two thoughts on the Electoral College and National Popular
Vote

 

Two items came across my Twitter feed today (h/t to Rick for both) that
I think have some bearing on the whole National Popular Vote/Electoral
Issue.

 

1.       Apparently only 17 states have completed their count of all
ballots, per this USA Today editorial (as a rule, I abhor citing
editorials, but I'm going to trust they got this fact right):
http://usatoday.com/story/opinion/2012/11/26/counting-votes-voting-syste
m/1728529/ I think the implications for National Popular Vote are pretty
obvious - had this been a closer election (say, Bush-Gore or
Kennedy-Nixon close) we'd still not know who the president was, and
there would be horrific legal battles being waged right now all across
the country over which ballots should or should not be counted. The
Electoral College seems to have provided conclusive clarity rather
quickly. 

2.      Second, apparently there's a theory floating around out there
that Romney could still be elected by the House of Representatives if a
number of states voting for Romney failed to submit their electoral
votes, depriving the Electoral College of a quorum (see here:
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/11/27/2360565/lawmaker-shares-last-ch
ance-idea.html). Absolute malarkey, to borrow from our Vice President.
Still, it does help to show the fallacy of what I call the 'English Bob'
<http://www.quotefully.com/movie/Unforgiven/English+Bob>  theory touted
by advocates of National Popular Vote, which is basically that the
passage of NPV would be so popular and accepted that there would be
little thought of challenge through the courts or legislative hanky
panky. To paraphrase, "Well there's a dignity to National Popular Vote.
A majesty that precludes the likelihood of partisan games. If you were
to attempt to draft a lawsuit or bill aimed at changing the election
your hands would shake as though palsied. I can assure you, if you did,
that the popularity of NPV would cause you to dismiss all thoughts of
resistance and you would stand... how shall I put it? In awe."

 

		

 

 

 

And yes, I have been waiting for a long time to unleash my English Bob
analogy.

 

Best,

 

Sean Parnell

President

Impact Policy Management, LLC

6411 Caleb Court

Alexandria, VA  22315

571-289-1374 (c)

sean at impactpolicymanagement.com

 

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