This is some "analysis" I did of the possibilities and characteristics of the way that the Electoral College is set up.
States won by 1 | Population | Electoral Votes | States won by2 | Population | Electoral Votes |
California | 36132147 | 55 | North Carolina | 8683242 | 15 |
Texas | 22859968 | 35 | Virginia | 7567465 | 13 |
New York | 19254630 | 31 | Massachusetts | 6398743 | 12 |
Florida | 17789864 | 27 | Missouri | 5800310 | 11 |
Illinois | 12763371 | 21 | Tennessee | 5962959 | 11 |
Pennsylvania | 12429616 | 21 | Washington | 6287759 | 11 |
Ohio | 11464042 | 20 | Arizona | 5939292 | 10 |
Michigan | 10120860 | 17 | Maryland | 5600388 | 10 |
Georgia | 9072576 | 15 | Minnesota | 5132799 | 10 |
New Jersey | 8717925 | 15 | Wisconsin | 5536201 | 10 |
Indiana | 6271973 | 11 | Alabama | 4557808 | 9 |
166876972 | 268 | Colorado | 4665177 | 9 | |
Kentucky | 4173405 | 9 | |||
Louisiana | 4523628 | 8 | |||
South Carolina | 4255083 | 8 | |||
Connecticut | 3510297 | 7 | |||
Iowa | 2966334 | 7 | |||
Oklahoma | 3547884 | 7 | |||
Oregon | 3641056 | 7 | |||
Arkansas | 2779154 | 6 | |||
Kansas | 2744687 | 6 | |||
Mississippi | 2921088 | 6 | |||
Nebraska | 1758787 | 5 | |||
Nevada | 2414807 | 5 | |||
New Mexico | 1928384 | 5 | |||
West Virginia | 1816856 | 5 | |||
Hawaii | 1275194 | 4 | |||
Idaho | 1429096 | 4 | |||
Maine | 1321505 | 4 | |||
New Hampshire | 1309940 | 4 | |||
Rhode Island | 1076189 | 4 | |||
Utah | 2469585 | 4 | |||
Alaska | 663661 | 3 | |||
D.C. | 550521 | 3 | |||
Delaware | 843524 | 3 | |||
Montana | 935670 | 3 | |||
North Dakota | 636677 | 3 | |||
South Dakota | 775933 | 3 | |||
Vermont | 623050 | 3 | |||
Wyoming | 509294 | 3 | |||
129533432 | 270 | ||||
Total Voters | 85107255 | Total Voters | 77720059 | ||
Votes Won | 85107255 | ___268 | Votes Won | 39637230 | [270 |
Votes Lost | 0 | Votes Lost | 38082829 | ||
Vote Total 2 | 124744485 | Vote Total 3 | 39637230 |
That table shows how it would be possible for a candidate to receive in excess of 75% of the popular vote, yet still lose due to the electoral count, and that is with clear majority wins in every single state, not pluralities brought on by three or more candidates. If you included those possibilities, the discrepancy would be even larger. The situation has one candidate winning states worth 268 electoral votes, and carrying them with 100% of the vote. The remaining states are split 51/49 in favor of the other candidate. While such an occurrence is so unlikely as to be virtually impossible, it highlights what I believe to be a deep flaw in the means by which we elect our commander in chief. The pie chart below illustrates the incongruency very well:
The following table expresses the relative worth of each individual vote, as compared in multiples of
State | Population | Electoral Votes | Per Vote | Rank | Worth (Multiples of Florida) |
Alabama | 4557808 | 9 | 506423 | 24 | 1.3 |
Alaska | 663661 | 3 | 221220 | 5 | 2.98 |
Arizona | 5939292 | 10 | 593929 | 43 | 1.11 |
Arkansas | 2779154 | 6 | 463192 | 19 | 1.42 |
California | 36132147 | 55 | 656948 | 50 | 1.003 |
Colorado | 4665177 | 9 | 518353 | 27 | 1.27 |
Connecticut | 3510297 | 7 | 501471 | 23 | 1.31 |
D.C. | 550521 | 3 | 183506 | 2 | 3.59 |
Delaware | 843524 | 3 | 281174 | 8 | 2.34 |
Florida | 17789864 | 27 | 658883 | 51 | 1 |
Georgia | 9072576 | 15 | 604838 | 45 | 1.09 |
Hawaii | 1275194 | 4 | 318798 | 10 | 2.07 |
Idaho | 1429096 | 4 | 357274 | 14 | 1.84 |
Illinois | 12763371 | 21 | 607779 | 46 | 1.08 |
Indiana | 6271973 | 11 | 570179 | 36 | 1.16 |
Iowa | 2966334 | 7 | 428047 | 17 | 1.54 |
Kansas | 2744687 | 6 | 457447 | 18 | 1.44 |
Kentucky | 4173405 | 9 | 463711 | 20 | 1.42 |
Louisiana | 4523628 | 8 | 565453 | 35 | 1.17 |
Maine | 1321505 | 4 | 330376 | 12 | 1.99 |
Maryland | 5600388 | 10 | 560038 | 34 | 1.18 |
Massachusetts | 6398743 | 12 | 533228 | 31 | 1.24 |
Michigan | 10120860 | 17 | 595344 | 44 | 1.11 |
Minnesota | 5132799 | 10 | 513279 | 26 | 1.28 |
Mississippi | 2921088 | 6 | 486848 | 22 | 1.35 |
Missouri | 5800310 | 11 | 527300 | 29 | 1.25 |
Montana | 935670 | 3 | 311890 | 9 | 2.11 |
Nebraska | 1758787 | 5 | 351757 | 13 | 1.87 |
Nevada | 2414807 | 5 | 482961 | 21 | 1.36 |
New Hampshire | 1309940 | 4 | 327485 | 11 | 2.01 |
New Jersey | 8717925 | 15 | 581195 | 40 | 1.13 |
New Mexico | 1928384 | 5 | 385676 | 16 | 1.71 |
New York | 19254630 | 31 | 621117 | 48 | 1.06 |
North Carolina | 8683242 | 15 | 578882 | 39 | 1.14 |
North Dakota | 636677 | 3 | 212225 | 4 | 3.1 |
Ohio | 11464042 | 20 | 573202 | 38 | 1.15 |
Oklahoma | 3547884 | 7 | 506840 | 25 | 1.3 |
Oregon | 3641056 | 7 | 520150 | 28 | 1.27 |
Pennsylvania | 12429616 | 21 | 591886 | 42 | 1.11 |
Rhode Island | 1076189 | 4 | 269047 | 7 | 2.45 |
South Carolina | 4255083 | 8 | 531885 | 30 | 1.24 |
South Dakota | 775933 | 3 | 258644 | 6 | 2.55 |
Tennessee | 5962959 | 11 | 542087 | 32 | 1.22 |
Texas | 22859968 | 35 | 653141 | 49 | 1.009 |
Utah | 2469585 | 4 | 617396 | 47 | 1.07 |
Vermont | 623050 | 3 | 207683 | 3 | 3.17 |
Virginia | 7567465 | 13 | 582112 | 41 | 1.13 |
Washington | 6287759 | 11 | 571614 | 37 | 1.15 |
West Virginia | 1816856 | 5 | 363371 | 15 | 1.81 |
Wisconsin | 5536201 | 10 | 553620 | 33 | 1.19 |
Wyoming | 509294 | 3 | 169764 | 1 | 3.88 |
As you can see, most of the states have similar worths to
Worth | # of States |
1 | 3 |
1.1 | 10 |
1.2 | 9 |
1.3 | 7 |
1.4 | 5 |
1.5 | 1 |
1.7 | 1 |
1.8 | 2 |
1.9 | 1 |
2 | 2 |
2.1 | 2 |
2.3 | 1 |
2.5 | 1 |
2.6 | 1 |
3 | 1 |
3.1 | 1 |
3.2 | 1 |
3.6 | 1 |
3.9 | 1 |
The preceding table shows the distribution of vote value among the states. States worth 3 or more times
One of the bedrock fundamentals of the idea of the