Presidential run-off elections???

[TB]

Would you like to have a run-off election, like in France and Louisiana e.g. where the president had to have a majority behind him(or her) in order to be elected? What would be the positive aspects and negative aspects of such a system? That would leave the first election much more open for new parties.

[MasterJedi]

I believe the way they we have it now is fine.

[Jake]

This would either not change anything except removing third party spoilers or it could very well end the primary system as we know it.

[Brandon H]

I think if neither candidate gets a majority in Louisiana, then there should be a run-off for the electoral votes. All other elections in La. follow those rules and the Presidential should be no different.

[TB]

The most obvious advantage I think would be that the president elect would always have a majority of the voters behind him or her. So in that way the system builds up a certain credibility. Now the real interesting thing would be if the system had been in place in 1860. Douglas got more popular votes, but Breckenridge got more electoral votes, so in the end the run-off would have been between Lincoln and Breckenridge.

[Bacon King]

It would make more sense if it was done on a state by state basis- if no candidate has at least 50% of the vote, there's a runoff for that state's electoral votes.