If Republican Controlled States Allocate Electoral Votes Differently

[Mister Mets]

Jim Geraghty of the National Review suggests that Republicans would benefit heavily by changing the way electoral votes are allocated in states where they control the legislatures and Governor's Mansions. These would include Ohio, Nevada, Michigan, Wisconsin, Florida and Iowa.
http://www.nationalreview.com/campaign-spot/392286/constitutional-idea-could-guarantee-gop-win-2016-jim-geraghty

Matthew Ygleisias of Vox calls it shady and legal.
http://www.vox.com/2014/11/8/7174945/electoral-college-rigging

The Obama VS Romney map would have been a bit different, with Democrats having 247 Electoral Votes and Republicans having 206, before determining individual districts.

Democrats would still have won since they would gain two electoral votes for every state they win, so as long as Obama won more than 11 congressional districts in those states he'll do fine. But it gets narrower, especially if Republicans keep Florida winner take all. If the party can flip that and Colorado, the election can be determined by whether they can win the presidential vote in 26 congressional districts in states where Republicans are currently elected to 30 districts.

It's an interesting possibility unlikely for a few reasons (Scott Walker had major incentives to make Wisconsin as electorally valuable as possible.) But it's worth specualting about the implications for 2016.

[Ljube]

No chance.

[Devils30]

They discussed that about Pennsylvania once but obviously that's out the door now. Michigan has a referendum process so the Dems could easily get that overturned and Florida, Ohio were R leaning relative to the national average and make no sense. There's enough of a chance Wisconsin and Iowa trend R that it makes little sense to do. Nevada also has a referendum process along with Florida and Ohio and I can't see voters upholding these schemes.

[Lief 🗽]

Wow. Fresh off passing an avalanche of laws that helped them steal this election (North Carolina specifically), Republicans are already looking forward to stealing the 2016 election.

[Devils30]

If the GOP tried this the start of an illegitimate administration would be a trainwreck from the start.

[Landslide Lyndon]

If Walker and/or Ryan plan to run then it makes no sense for Wisconsin to do such a thing.

Also, Joe Heck and the multitude of state legislators who represent Obama districts will not be very happy if a law like that passed in Nevada. 

[Mehmentum]

There was talk of this before 2012 as well.  It never panned out then and it won't now.

[DrScholl]

Still trying to commit a fraud. If a Democrat won the popular vote by something like, 51-47, but Republicans got the most electoral votes and the Presidency, the backlash would be enormous, considering that gerrymandering would be responsible.

[Maistre]

What a brilliant idea.

[Skill and Chance]

They would get their candidate elected, but the backlash would be unreal if a future Democrat got >50% and lost because of this.  It would simply be viewed as rigging elections outside of 60% Romney districts.  This alone would be enough to produce a 6X%D/3X%R generic ballot in the next midterm and therefore isn't worth the trouble.

[The Mikado]

I can't imagine a bigger case of the GOP shooting itself in the foot than doing this in Florida.  Taking a state that's...maybe R+1 and giving the Democrats a third of its electoral votes guaranteed?

[Devils30]

Same with Ohio. It leans R in a close election. Probably will never happen but this sh*t is meant for third world dictatorships, not the USA.

[Skill and Chance]

Also, the IA state senate is still D controlled, so this would be DOA there.  If anything like this were tried, the real danger would be PA/VA because they are so large and gerrymandered and they don't have a referendum process.  But McAuliffe and Wolf have prevented that.

This kind of stuff has to be done nationally to be considered legitimate.  Proportional allocation in all 50 states might fly, but allocation by congressional district never would unless gerrymandering were resolved first.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

The fact that they're even thinking about this shows what total scum the Republicans are. Isn't it bad enough that there is massive gerrymandering for the Republicans?

[Beet]

It's a wake up call that Dems need to do better at state leg races. And not just a little better. Remember, we need to control at least 13 states to prevent the Republicans from amending the constitution.

[Landslide Lyndon]

It's a wake up call that Dems need to do better at state leg races. And not just a little better. Remember, we need to control at least 13 states to prevent the Republicans from amending the constitution.

Are you trolling dude? For constitutional amendment to reach state legislatures it must first be voted by 2/3 of the House and the Senate.

[DS0816]

In other words: The Republicans' sole reason for existing is to figure how to *f*  over the entire nation—so here's another rumor of their latest.

This will not happen. If there were to be an attempt, then the pushback would come from eliminating the Electoral College, which many want, and go with the Popular Vote.

[Beet]

It's a wake up call that Dems need to do better at state leg races. And not just a little better. Remember, we need to control at least 13 states to prevent the Republicans from amending the constitution.

Are you trolling dude? For constitutional amendment to reach state legislatures it must first be voted by 2/3 of the House and the Senate.

Another option is 3/4ths of state legislatures through a national convention, which Congress can approve once 34 state legislatures have applied. Some states have made moves in this direction this year.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

It's a wake up call that Dems need to do better at state leg races. And not just a little better. Remember, we need to control at least 13 states to prevent the Republicans from amending the constitution.

I wouldn't worry too much about that. The Democrats currently have solid control of 11 state legislatures, and have a solid control of some of the chambers in split states, such as the NY Assembly and MN Senate. In their stronger chamber in those 13 states, they have at least 58%.

But yeah, the national party does deserve a grade of F- for the state legislature elections this year, and 2010, when they affected redistricting.

[Mister Mets]

It's a wake up call that Dems need to do better at state leg races. And not just a little better. Remember, we need to control at least 13 states to prevent the Republicans from amending the constitution.

Are you trolling dude? For constitutional amendment to reach state legislatures it must first be voted by 2/3 of the House and the Senate.

Another option is 3/4ths of state legislatures through a national convention, which Congress can approve once 34 state legislatures have applied. Some states have made moves in this direction this year.

Neither of those is needed if enough states would go and sign the national popular vote compact.

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

Wow. Fresh off passing an avalanche of laws that helped them steal this election (North Carolina specifically), Republicans are already looking forward to stealing the 2016 election.

The GOP won fair and square. What is the lefts issue with voter id laws? Why not address the New Black Panthers engaging in voter intimidation in Philly.

[King]

Wow. Fresh off passing an avalanche of laws that helped them steal this election (North Carolina specifically), Republicans are already looking forward to stealing the 2016 election.

The GOP won fair and square. What is the lefts issue with voter id laws? Why not address the New Black Panthers engaging in voter intimidation in Philly.

Yeah, because anyone who chooses to live in Philly is definitely afraid of a black guy standing on a street corner.

[Non Swing Voter]

Seems like it would be a mistake (long-term) for Republicans to allocate the votes of Florida differently.  Florida is pretty much a must win state for Republicans, it helps offset the votes Democrats win in NY and CA.  If it's split by congressional district, you know Democrats are going to easily win at least 8 or 9 districts between South Florida and the Orlando/Tampa area.

[MurrayBannerman]

The only place worth considering is Michigan.

[Stockdale for Veep]

Gerrymandering goes national. Pathetic.