Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Gallup Poll: Electoral College More Popular Than Ever
Patriot News Daily ^ | 12/4/2016 | Staff

Posted on 12/07/2016 5:01:51 AM PST by HomerBohn

A new Gallup survey shows that support for the Electoral College system is stronger today than it has been in many years. Following a controversial election that gave Hillary Clinton the popular vote while giving Donald Trump the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency, many on the left have championed a constitutional amendment to abolish the system. But if liberals are more eager than ever to get rid of the Electoral College, Republicans have renewed faith in the system.

According to the poll, 47% of Americans want to keep the Electoral College while 49% want to get rid of it and have the popular vote decide future presidential elections. That’s almost right down the middle, which is a big change. In previous surveys, a clear majority of the public expressed a desire to abolish the Electoral College:

Such sentiment has clearly prevailed when Gallup asked this question twice in 2000 — after George W. Bush won the Electoral College while Al Gore won the popular vote — in 2004 and in 2011. In each instance, support for a constitutional amendment hovered around 60%.

From 1967 through 1980, Gallup asked a slightly different question that also found majority support for an amendment to base the winner on the popular vote. Support for an amendment peaked at 80% in 1968, after Richard Nixon almost lost the popular vote while winning the Electoral College.

The turnaround in public opinion comes largely from Republicans and Republican-leaning independents. Of these Americans, 54% supported deciding the presidency by popular vote in 2011. As of today, only 19% want to do away with the Electoral College. You probably don’t need a Harvard political science professor to explain what’s going on.

At the same time, you can’t just say, “Oh, well, of course Republicans like the Electoral College after they used it to beat Hillary!” It’s not that simple. Voters have been exposed to some very good arguments for and against the system over the last two weeks. Republicans know that all of Hillary’s popular vote advantage comes from one state – California. A state that grows more dissimilar to the rest of the United States with every passing year. Our country was designed as a union of states, not just one massive, singular democracy.

The Electoral College gives the people of “flyover country” a relevance they would begin to lose if we abolished it. That doesn’t mean one way is right and the other way is wrong, but it does mean there is more to think about here than who won or lost the last election.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2016polls; clintoncriminals; electoralcollege
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-23 next last
More proof that our founders were very clever, just men!

There are 3141 counties in America. Trump won 3084 of them. Clinton won 57 of them. There are 62 counties in New York State. Trump won 46 of them. Clinton won 16. Clinton won the popular vote by anywhere between 1.5 and 2 million votes (that is if you count the illegals and dead people). In the 5 counties that encompass NYC, (Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Richmond & Queens) Clinton received well over 2 million more votes than Trump. (Clinton only won 4 of those counties as Trump won Richmond). Therefore these 5 counties alone, more than accounted for Clinton winning the popular vote of the entire country. These 5 counties comprise 319 square miles. The United States is comprised of 3,797,000 square miles. When you have a country that encompasses almost 4 million square miles of territory, it would be ludicrous to even suggest that the vote of those who inhabit a mere 319 square miles should dictate the outcome of a national election.

1 posted on 12/07/2016 5:01:51 AM PST by HomerBohn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: HomerBohn
Gallup Poll: Electoral College More Popular Than Ever

Which means that — once again — the Democrats who have made its abolition their top priority are expressing their intention to govern against the will of the people.

They are granted the right to do so by their own overinflated egos.

2 posted on 12/07/2016 5:09:12 AM PST by Steely Tom ([VOTE FRAUD] == [CIVIL WAR])
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: HomerBohn

Time for California to become a Separate Country, or perhaps give it back to Mexico.


3 posted on 12/07/2016 5:10:58 AM PST by Old Retired Army Guy (frequently.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: HomerBohn
In each instance, support for a constitutional amendment hovered around 60%.

There is a reason our framers set the state thresh-hold at 75% for constitutional amendments.

How many countries in the world chose their head of state by direct popular vote? Off-hand, I can only think of one-- North Korea. Iraq used to do it under Saddam Hussein.

4 posted on 12/07/2016 5:11:02 AM PST by Vigilanteman (ObaMao: Fake America, Fake Messiah, Fake Black man. How many fakes can you fit into one Zer0?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: HomerBohn

Without it, klinton would have stolen the election with fraudulent votes. I am quite certain that a large percentage of her votes were manufactured.


5 posted on 12/07/2016 5:11:44 AM PST by weezel
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Steely Tom

“They are granted the right to do so by their own overinflated egos.”

You nailed a big part of the problem.


6 posted on 12/07/2016 5:11:44 AM PST by pieceofthepuzzle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Steely Tom
the Democrats who have made its abolition their top priority are expressing their intention to govern against the will of the people.

Or, less politely:

The RATs are public enemy #1.

7 posted on 12/07/2016 5:12:22 AM PST by ROCKLOBSTER (The fear of stark justice sends hot urine down their thighs.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: HomerBohn

The left’s idea of democracy is for every presidential election to be decided by Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and NYC. Everyone from anyplace else might as well stay home and not vote.


8 posted on 12/07/2016 5:13:17 AM PST by Wilhelm Tell (True or False? This is not a tag line.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: HomerBohn

I saw this link cited on Hannity’s website.

http://www.inquisitr.com/3748311/donald-trump-won-2600-counties-compared-to-clintons-500-winning-83-of-the-geographic-nation/#OUjXD0TFRVweP5cX.99


9 posted on 12/07/2016 5:14:40 AM PST by xzins
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: HomerBohn

Wonder what likely voters would say.


10 posted on 12/07/2016 5:15:54 AM PST by Raycpa
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Steely Tom
Republicans know that all of Hillary’s popular vote advantage comes from one state – California.

Actually, CA and NY. Trump is ahead without NY. NY pulls Clinton even.

Then CA takes her over the top.

So, if America wants to be ruled by CA and NY, then get rid of the electoral college.

11 posted on 12/07/2016 5:18:07 AM PST by xzins
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: HomerBohn

If we ever lose the electoral college, candidates would only need to campaign in the big cities. Yet, the federal government makes policy—sadly way too much policy—for all Americans, not just LA, Chicago, and NYC. People in flyover country would be completely ruled by the cities on the coasts. Your ability to control your own property in states like Oklahoma would be seized from you and governed by people in LA. It might be different with a constitutionally restrained federal government, but as we’ve seen, the cities are rife with leftists who want to control everything and everyone.


12 posted on 12/07/2016 5:20:26 AM PST by CitizenUSA (Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: HomerBohn

(Clinton only won 4 of those counties as Trump won Richmond)...

THAT’S ME!!!! Italians for Trump!!!! :)

We have had an Italian Americans for Trump website :)

But we are ferociously outnumbered :(

I didn’t think the five boroughs were 319 square miles.

Manhattan is only about 10 miles away from Richmond County.

But as far as the culture goes, it might as well be 8000.


13 posted on 12/07/2016 5:22:25 AM PST by dp0622 (IThe only thing an upper crust conservative hates more than a liberal is a middle class conservative)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: HomerBohn

In other words, without the Electoral College, the US would be run by the Northeast urban corridor (running down I-95 from Boston, through NYC, Philadelphia and Baltimore, to DC), Chicago, and LA.

Which is why we love the Electoral College.


14 posted on 12/07/2016 5:24:41 AM PST by Little Ray (Freedom Before Security!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: HomerBohn

I am torn.

This makes sense, but it is a poll and thus meaningless..


15 posted on 12/07/2016 5:27:09 AM PST by freedumb2003 (Good morning President Trump)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: HomerBohn
47% of Americans want to keep the Electoral College while 49% want to get rid of it ...

The left hates a College that does not have safe zones or snowflakes, that does not have marxist overpaid professors, and that would be perfectly fine to have Ann Coulter speak to it.

16 posted on 12/07/2016 5:27:46 AM PST by C210N
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: weezel

Fraud would have a much greater impact without the electoral college. Fraud in a couple large cities could disenfranchise the entire country. With the electoral college, it doesn’t matter if millions upon millions of illegal aliens in LA and San Francisco vote for Hillary. The most they can fraudulently win is California’s electoral votes.

This kind of explains why Democrats are so dead set against voter ID and the electoral college, doesn’t it?


17 posted on 12/07/2016 5:30:00 AM PST by CitizenUSA (Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Little Ray

If you want to define it further, the Urban areas that vote Democrat are largely Non-Homeowners (i.e. Renters) and a large proportion of them receive some sort of Government Assistance. The Democrat party has endeavored for many decades to maintain Government dependency on Urban populations to get their votes. Without it, they would be reduced to third party status.


18 posted on 12/07/2016 5:30:22 AM PST by Old Retired Army Guy (frequently.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Old Retired Army Guy

Democrats are the Urban Party; those areas I listed are the largest, powerful urban areas and would pick the bones of the rest of the country without the Electoral College.
But don’t forget government workers.
DC went 94% for Hillary!.
Government is government’s own biggest special interest. With just the support of the government workers, the Democrats would remain a major party.
Of course, most government workers are urban, too.


19 posted on 12/07/2016 5:51:28 AM PST by Little Ray (Freedom Before Security!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: HomerBohn

“Electoral College system is stronger today than it has been in many years.”

There is a general realization that it defeated Hillary Clinton.


20 posted on 12/07/2016 6:08:26 AM PST by odawg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-23 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson