North Carolina may adopt District Method for choosing electors

[Padfoot]

It seems that this plan is being scrapped at the request of Howard Dean.  The bill's primary sponsor withdrew it on Saturday.  I'm not really sure why Dean would want to stop this though, unless he was trying to prevent the same thing from happening in states where Republicans control the legislature.  If Democrats were to win the election due to NC splitting its EV I highly doubt that they would simultaneously lose the popular vote.

[True Federalist]

I'm not really sure why Dean would want to stop this though

It's unlikely to affect the Presidential result in 2008 but it could cost the Dems at the local level in North Carolina.  One thing that Dean understands that a number of Washington politicos don't is that you need to fertilize the grass roots. 

[Stranger in a strange land]

I'm not really sure why Dean would want to stop this though

It's unlikely to affect the Presidential result in 2008 but it could cost the Dems at the local level in North Carolina.  One thing that Dean understands that a number of Washington politicos don't is that you need to fertilize the grass roots. 

dean has a tendency to shoot off his mouth but he is smart

[StateBoiler]

I always knew the South elected Dems locally would become a problem, maybe that will stop that.  I think Dems can kiss their seats good-bye!

Here's the NC makeup of the citizenry (as far as how they vote):

45% Republican
15% Democrat in state elections, Republican in federal elections
40% Democrat

[12th Doctor]

Hmm. Interesting, is there any state the GOP could do this and have it be to their advantage?

California and PA are the two most obvious that come to mind.  Chances of passing in either are pretty slim, though.

BTW... this thing is rigged from the start by the fact that, by Federal Law, North Carolina is obligated to have at least two districts that are majoritivly black.  As do Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi.  I think Tennesse only needs to have one.

[StateBoiler]

Hmm. Interesting, is there any state the GOP could do this and have it be to their advantage?

California and PA are the two most obvious that come to mind.  Chances of passing in either are pretty slim, though.

BTW... this thing is rigged from the start by the fact that, by Federal Law, North Carolina is obligated to have at least two districts that are majoritivly black.  As do Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi.  I think Tennesse only needs to have one.

You realize that actually benefits Republicans right?

Think about it, the split in this state for Democrats to Republicans for whites is maybe 45/55. The split in Democrats to Republicans for blacks is maybe 90/10. So what majority-minority districts do is it takes a whole bunch of Democrats, puts them in one district where they then have supermajorities and the Republicans are pretty much a third party, while all the surrounding districts are Republican cause a good number of the Democrats they would have if things were not gerrymandered are not in their district.

[Vasall des Midas]

I'm only now discovering this thread, and all the valid arguments, pro and con (and there are more of the latter than the former) seem to have been made already. Good work, guys.

[12th Doctor]

Hmm. Interesting, is there any state the GOP could do this and have it be to their advantage?

California and PA are the two most obvious that come to mind.  Chances of passing in either are pretty slim, though.

BTW... this thing is rigged from the start by the fact that, by Federal Law, North Carolina is obligated to have at least two districts that are majoritivly black.  As do Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi.  I think Tennesse only needs to have one.

You realize that actually benefits Republicans right?

Think about it, the split in this state for Democrats to Republicans for whites is maybe 45/55. The split in Democrats to Republicans for blacks is maybe 90/10. So what majority-minority districts do is it takes a whole bunch of Democrats, puts them in one district where they then have supermajorities and the Republicans are pretty much a third party, while all the surrounding districts are Republican cause a good number of the Democrats they would have if things were not gerrymandered are not in their district.

In Congressional Races, yeah.  And it hurts blacks because it acctually diminishes their political power.  All in the name of "civil rights".

If North Carolina goes to this method, though, it doesn't benefit the GOP at all.  That's just 2 more EV's the Democrats get every time.

[bullmoose88]

Hmm. Interesting, is there any state the GOP could do this and have it be to their advantage?

California and PA are the two most obvious that come to mind.  Chances of passing in either are pretty slim, though.

Err...You missed the point of my question (see one of Ernest's answers)...the GOP couldn't do it in CA or PA because they don't have total control on the legislature and governorship.

[zorkpolitics]

CA may change to the district method: a ballot initiative is on track for June 2008, thus avoiding  the Democratic legislature. 
If the CA ballot passes, the DNC will then push NC to go forward.

[Χahar]

I don't like it. It's a Democratic power grab, just like the Republicans tried in CA. I oppose that too. Think about how the EC would look if CA used the Maine-and-Nebraska method!