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US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose - Foreign Affairs (3) - Nairaland

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Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by Strictlygreen: 11:44am On Nov 05
anyitokunbo:
In Nigeria if u like get all the whole votes
APC go still win
Like how Elupee got the whole votes and APC won ba?! Bros your brain is not a decoration use it.
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by Difrent: 11:46am On Nov 05
lovediehatelive:



Why do you say so?

Its the truth. Ask Google
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by Strictlygreen: 11:48am On Nov 05
Salisu19:
The Americans Claimed to be the Father of Democracy, is this really a democracy if I may ask? How can the vote of just 538 people Overide the vote of millions of people?
Initially I didn't understand it myself so I asked for help so I don't have to sound stupid. Bros say you don't understand make men wey sabi explain.
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by FaAbData: 11:54am On Nov 05
AlbertNewton:


Each of the 50 states in the US is given some points (known technically as electoral college votes). Furthermore, the points vary from state to state, based relatively on the population of each state. California has the highest electoral college votes (54 points), while a number of states have just 3 points which is the lowest.
After the actual votes (casted by millions of people) in each state is counted, the candidate with the highest votes in a state will get all the electoral college votes of that state. So if for instance, 10million people vote Harris in California and 7million vote for Trump, Harris will have all the 54 points from California while Trump has 0. At the end of the day when all their points from all the states are added together, the candidate with the highest points (electoral college votes) will be declared as the winner.

So what the OP is explaining is that it is possible for a candidate to have higher actual votes (if you count the total number of people that voted for him/her), but lower electoral college votes (the points from all the states where the candidate has higher votes). And as far as winning US presidential election is concerned constitutionally, electoral college votes is superior to the actual human votes. But of course, there's a strong correlation between the two.

Thanks.
So it means the electoral college votes is a product of popular votes?

I used to think a selected group of people participate in electral college voting.

Why does some states have 57 while others have just 3?
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by Sirchiboy: 11:55am On Nov 05
Sonofgod1990:
Make I try luck Carry 100k stake dis thing
...
Bro do me 5k make i use an buy garri
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by ellizy(m): 11:56am On Nov 05
Similar constitution in Nigeria. Turned over when it comes to Obi's turn..
The constitution states clearly ⅔ majority vote in FCT..
Don't argue with me ooo
Argue with the starvation, the fall in foreign exchange, The minimum wage etc
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by djon78(m): 11:59am On Nov 05
musicwriter:
Yes, I just said so in the other thread. And that's the more reason Trump will win. If Trump could beat Hillary Clinton, he'll win Harris because nothing has changed.

US presidential election is not free and fair. You could get the highest vote but someone with a lower vote would be declared winner. That's bizarre


It's not bizarre

US founding fathers put it that way

It makes every state in the US part of the process

If it was by population
The most populous states could have been the ones determining the president

But by electoral votes each State plays there own role

It has been like that since
I remember vividly
During the election between Al gore Clintons vice president vs George Bush

Bush defeated Al gore by winning Florida State

The tie was so close
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by anyitokunbo(m): 12:01pm On Nov 05
Strictlygreen:
Like how Elupee got the whole votes and APC won ba?! Bros your brain is not a decoration use it.
Mad man
I wasn't taking to u
Carry your frustration go meet your family
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by Melchizzedek: 12:13pm On Nov 05
FaAbData:


Thanks.
So it means the electoral college votes is a product of popular votes?

I used to think a selected group of people participate in electral college voting.

Why does some states have 57 while others have just 3?
it depends on the population of the the state which In turn determines the number of senators and representatives from the state. In the case of California, it is the most populous state in usa and it has 52 representatives and 2 senators. So the electoral votes from California is 52+2=54. If kamala wins trump by say 15milion votes to 14 million votes, kamala get the whole 54 electoral points and it is called winner-takes-all. However in some states, the electoral votes are divided between the winner and the runner up .

2 Likes

Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by Zhunnurayn(m): 12:22pm On Nov 05
Whobedatte:
I think a multicultural and ethnic state like Lagos and Abuja should be a deciding factor in Nigerian election s subsequently.
These two are consists of highly educated Nigerians
You must win at least one of these two to be declared a winner.
Democracy is a game of numbers but it still faults in a way where a state or states where the majority of its people are not educated at least minimum of secondary education get to decide the polling result because of large population.
This just my opinion

Humans from time immemorial have been having leadership irrespective of their educational status. The constitution defines government's primary responsibility as providing well being for the whole people not just educated people.
So non educated people have equal say with the most educated people in democracy..by the way who said western education is a criteria for having a good sense of judgement to selecting leaders.

N.B the so called educated Lagos and Abj voted a man who on countless occasions publicly made inciting statements backing a terrorist group.. calling for a religious war. A man under whose 8 year reign as governor built not a single school, and poverty index increased.
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by AmalaAtiEwedu: 12:22pm On Nov 05
lovediehatelive:


It's a two edged sword, but I believe any candidate that wins the popular vote with over 5 million margin would definitely clinch the electoral votes
brain d pain u?
abi u no sabi read?
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by AmalaAtiEwedu: 12:22pm On Nov 05
Quelme:
POTUS Trump!!!
u go cry tomorrow cool
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by AmalaAtiEwedu: 12:24pm On Nov 05
Strictlygreen:
Can anyone break this down further? Because I don't understand Shiite!
Shiite are a muslim terrorist sect cool
Compredre!! cool
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by IbeOkehie: 12:24pm On Nov 05
The main thing to understand is that the USA is not a democracy. The word democracy or democratic is NOT mentioned ANYWHERE in the Constitution of the USA.

The United States is a Constitutional Republic. The US Constitution itself affirms that it guarantees each State a Republican form of government. The Constitution also notes that the USA is forever a project in pursuit of perfection.

Another point is that the USA is composed of two entities - the States and the People. The States are represented by the Senate while the People are represented by the House of Representatives. Although the Senate has lost some of it's original intent which should be restored.

In a Republic, all votes are NOT equal. They are weighted by some kind of a qualifier and the witten law - the original agreement embodied in the Constitution- takes precedence over everything else, including majority rule.

Historic qualifiers have been race, gender, education or wealth. Increased enlightenment or democratization has reduced it all down to POPULATION, which is actually close to making it a democracy.

One thing is very clear though, and it's that there's no such thing as INDIVIDUAL equality in nature. So the original republican ethos of the Constitution was correct. Those who contribute more to the common good must have more say in how the government is run.

Hopefully the USA will today get back on the path to A More Perfect Union.

God Bless the USA & God Save The King.

1 Like

Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by Elzazzi: 12:27pm On Nov 05
ebenholer2:

In the United States, the Electoral College is the group of presidential electors that is formed every four years during the presidential election for the sole purpose of voting for the president and vice president. The process is described in Article Two of the Constitution of United States.

Ok thanks for the info
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by spiSeyi: 12:37pm On Nov 05
In a nutshell even the US is not practicing democracy grin, IBB introduced the American political system to Nigeria fraudulently. Nigeria type of Democracy has no tendency of development and that's why any good economic policy hardly works in Nigeria.
It's high time we design our type of government, China did, Singapore did and other Asian powerhouse and they are doing well.
To we are even better off using a parliamentary system and regional form of government before the greedy Northern kaki boys took over and destabilized the whole scene.
Take a look at how developed South Africa is with their regional and parliamentary system of government
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by lovediehatelive(m): 12:38pm On Nov 05
Strictlygreen:
Can anyone break this down further? Because I don't understand Shiite!


USA has 50 states.

Each state is allocated some points, all summing up to 538 , which are called electoral college votes.

Now, when a candidate wins a state, he gets awarded the electoral college votes or points for that state.

This means that if for instance a candidate wins in TEXAS, he gets 38 electoral college votes, and he needs to win other states, collecting points till they reach 270 points.

Some states have higher points than others.


What this simply means is that any state you win would be converted to points.

And at the end of the day, the candidate with highest points based on the states he won is declared winner.

Hope you get it now

3 Likes

Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by IbeOkehie: 12:52pm On Nov 05
spiSeyi:

To we are even better off using a parliamentary system and regional form of government before the greedy Northern kaki boys took over and destabilized the whole scene.
Take a look at how developed South Africa is with their regional and parliamentary system of government

Northern khaki boys? Really? Hmmm. The first military government was imposed by Northerners? The first ever step taken to reduce regionalism was the Unitary Decree 34 of May 1966. So it was a Northern military President that did that. 🤔

Guy thanks for the education and bringing this hidden history to light.

Good Luck to Nigeria.
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by TenQ: 1:17pm On Nov 05
panafrican:
Because the founding fathers of the United states were afraid of Democracy. They believed it was mob rule.
Which is very true.

Democracy is a bad form of government in a state where the uneducated and informed are the majority
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by lnels: 1:18pm On Nov 05
This is why the Unted States election is different from other country. America is not just a name
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by Artscollection: 1:32pm On Nov 05
23Ju:
My question now is why not go straight and use the electoral college vote instead of bother about the popular vote since it won't count.

The popular votes is the first stage, electoral votes is like points assigned to each state so if democrats wins the state then they are assigned the electoral votes.
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by 23Ju: 3:31pm On Nov 05
Artscollection:


The popular votes is the first stage, electoral votes is like points assigned to each state so if democrats wins the state then they are assigned the electoral votes.

Ok
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by Successlane: 3:57pm On Nov 05
FaAbData:


Thanks.
So it means the electoral college votes is a product of popular votes?

I used to think a selected group of people participate in electral college voting.

Why does some states have 57 while others have just 3?

Reason why someone once said the Nigeria constitution is fair to ALL.

Kano state - 44 LGAs == 3 senators

Bayelsa state - 8 LGAs == 3 senators

1 Like

Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by femi4: 7:41pm On Nov 05
Berezuski:
Indirectly; Kamala May Have The Highest Votes, But Trump May be Declared Winner
Save This Here
TRUMP All The Way!
U don dey accept defeat...unfortunately trup isn't popular with the electorate
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by davidif: 8:23pm On Nov 05
Strictlygreen:
Can anyone break this down further? Because I don't understand Shiite!

In American elections, its mostly about winning the most number of states and not the most number of voters. That's the way their forefathers established it. This system works in a way in that it forces candidates to focus on even the small states during elections as opposed to just the biggest states like New York etc.
I would like if we adopted it in Naija as it should hopefully force candidates to focus on even the smaller states like Kebbi and Yobe etc instead of Lagos and co.
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by davidif: 8:25pm On Nov 05
musicwriter:
Yes, I just said so in the other thread. And that's the more reason Trump will win. If Trump could beat Hillary Clinton, he'll win Harris because nothing has changed.

US presidential election is not free and fair. You could get the highest vote but someone with a lower vote would be declared winner. That's bizarre

I think I might like it a bit better than ours because in their national elections, its mostly about winning the most number of states and not the most number of voters. That's the way their forefathers established it. This system works in a way in that it forces candidates to focus on even the small states during elections as opposed to just the biggest states like New York etc.
I would like if we adopted it in Naija as it should hopefully force candidates to focus on even the smaller states like Kebbi and Yobe etc instead of Lagos and co.
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by davidif: 8:27pm On Nov 05
lovediehatelive:


This stuff is somehow sha.


Sometimes it favours the democrats, sometimes it favours the republicans

I think I might like there system more because it mostly focuses on winning the most number of states, not the most number of voters. That's the way it should be to me because it forces candidates to focus on even the small states during elections as opposed to just the biggest states like New York etc.
I would like if we adopted it in Naija as it should hopefully force candidates to focus on even the smaller states like Kebbi and Yobe etc instead of Lagos and co.
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by Gerrard59(m): 3:32am On Nov 06
davidif:


I think I might like there system more because it mostly focuses on winning the most number of states, not the most number of voters. That's the way it should be to me because it forces candidates to focus on even the small states during elections as opposed to just the biggest states like New York etc.
I would like if we adopted it in Naija as it should hopefully force candidates to focus on even the smaller states like Kebbi and Yobe etc instead of Lagos and co.
We already have the system of winning two-thirds of the country. A case of six and half-a-dozen.
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by musicwriter(m): 7:25am On Nov 06
davidif:


I think I might like it a bit better than ours because in their national elections, its mostly about winning the most number of states and not the most number of voters. That's the way their forefathers established it. This system works in a way in that it forces candidates to focus on even the small states during elections as opposed to just the biggest states like New York etc.
I would like if we adopted it in Naija as it should hopefully force candidates to focus on even the smaller states like Kebbi and Yobe etc instead of Lagos and co.

I think we already have something similar in Nigeria by winning a certain percentage of the votes; including the FCT but whether it's enforced it something else.

In the US, winning the major states with highest population still doesn't guarantee anything. Harris has already won California and New York but Trump will win the election.
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by Zouzer: 8:50am On Nov 06
lovediehatelive:


It's a two edged sword, but I believe any candidate that wins the popular vote with over 5 million margin would definitely clinch the electoral votes

Doesn't exactly matter. If you look at California, for instance. It's heavily populated and the demographics are strongly skewed towards Democrats.

Ideally, if there is a high democratic turnout for a democratic candidate, he'd have a high total popular vote, but such candidate can still go on to lose the electoral vote.
Re: US Election: Why A Candidate Could Have Highest Votes But Still Lose by cl0r0x: 9:44am On Nov 06
See INEC still trying to rig grin grin

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