00000nam a2200000 i 4500 UP-1685936960461358059 Buklod 20241116091612.0 m |o d | ta 241008s2020 nyu u eng 9780190060152 (eBook) 9780190060169 (eBook) 9780190060176 (eBook) 20915033 DLAW DLC rda eng KF 4910 F65 2020eb Foley, Edward B. author. Presidential elections and majority rule the rise, demise, and potential restoration of the Jeffersonian electoral college Edward B. Foley. Electronic resource. New York, NY Oxford University Press [2020] 1 online resource (xiii, 238 pages) 24 cm text txt rdacontent computer rdamedia online resource rdacarrier Includes bibliographical references (pages 179-225) and index. The electoral college of 1787 -- The first four elections -- The electoral college of 1803 -- The Jeffersonian electoral college in the 19th century -- The Jeffersonian electoral college in the 20th century -- The Jeffersonian electoral college in the 21st century -- A recommitment to majority rule -- An exploration of alternatives -- A feasible reform -- Conclusion. The Electoral College that governs America has been with us since 1804, when Thomas Jefferson's supporters redesigned it for his re-election. The Jeffersonians were motivated by the principle of majority rule. Gone were the days when a president would be elected by acclamation, as George Washington had been. Instead, given the emergence of intense two-party competition, the Jeffersonians wanted to make sure that the Electoral College awarded the presidency to the candidate of the majority, rather than minority, party. They also envisioned that a candidate would win by amassing a majority of Electoral College votes secured from states where the candidate's party was in the majority. For most of American history, this system has worked as intended, producing presidents who won Electoral College victories derived from state-based majorities. In the last quarter-century, however, there have been three significant aberrations from the Jeffersonian design: 1992, 2000, and 2016. In each of these years, the Electoral College victory depended on states where the winner received only a minority of votes. In this authoritative history of the American Electoral College system, Edward Foley analyzes the consequences of the unparalleled departure from the Jeffersonians' original intent-and delineates what we can do about it. He explains how states, by simply changing their Electoral College procedures, could restore the original Jeffersonian commitment to majority rule. There are various ways to do this, all of which comply with the Constitution. If only a few states had done so before 2016, the outcome might have been different. Doing so before future elections can prevent another victory that, contrary to the original Jeffersonian intent, a majority of voters did not want. "-- Provided by publisher. Election law United States. Electronic books Electoral college United States. Presidents United States Elections. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190060152.001.0001 click here to access available to all UP Students University of the Philippines, College of Law FO UPD DLAW KF 4910 F65 2020 Electronic Resource