See https://www.change.org/p/electoral-college-make-hillary-clinton-president-on-december-19-4a78160a-023c-4ff0-9069-53cee2a095a8
According to this article, in 14 of states where the voters that showed up favored Trump, the electors can vote for someone else without penalty.
I wonder if any of these petitions are limited to the people who actually showed up, or can those who didn’t bother to vote also sign the petitions?
Do I jest? Not quite, the de facto winner of the 2016 election was “none of the above”. Over 40% of eligible voters stayed home. See Voter Turnout Data - United States Elections Project.
231,556,622 voting eligible population (VEP)
137,297,086 ballots counted
59.3% turnout
94,259,536 didn’t cast a counted ballot
40.7% of VEP
65,476,535 votes (48.1%) Clinton
28.3% of VEP
62,821,935 votes (46.1%) Trump
27.1% of VEP
8,998,616 votes (6.6%) Others
3.9% of VEP
Over half of those who showed up voted for someone else than Donald Trump. That certainly is not “the people” deciding for Trump.
But when you consider that over two-thirds of the eligible voters did not cast a vote for Trump, you would think Trump would have a bit more humility. Don’t hold your breath.
If you were one of the no-shows, remember,
The only way
To throw your vote away
Is to stay away!
Showing posts with label eligible voters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eligible voters. Show all posts
Monday, December 12, 2016
Thursday, November 10, 2016
The election was stolen, really!
Who stole it?
All those eligible voters who didn't show up. They are the one's who had no confidence in Donald Trump as president, but they couldn't bring themselves to vote for Hillary Clinton. Many of these believed Trump's accusations against Clinton even though they disbelieved everything else Trump said.
Consider that an extra 50,000 votes total in just three states would have given Clinton the election.
See "For Reeling Democrats, Now What?", Cathleen Decker, Los Angeles Times, 2016-11-10,
Were you one of these 50,000 non-voters? Did you steal the election? Did you help rig the election?
The only way you throw your vote away is to stay away.
Be sure to vote in 2018 to bring about a better balance in Congress.
Wednesday, May 09, 2012
The coming battle of the no-shows
The 2012 elections may be determined, not by who votes, but who does not vote.
If President Obama doesn't actively support gay marriage, many gay rights supporters might stay away.
If President Obama actively supports gay marriage, many who don't care for the issue might stay away.
Because Mitt Romney is a Mormon, many "conservatives" might stay away.
If Mitt Romney wavers on any of the "conservative" issues, "conservatives" might stay away.
If Mitt Romney strictly follows the "conservative" script, many RINOs might stay away.
Wherever you stand on the issues, don't give the election to the candidate with whom you disagree the most. Show up and vote on November 6, 2012!
Remember: the 1% may have the money but the 99% have the votes!
If President Obama doesn't actively support gay marriage, many gay rights supporters might stay away.
If President Obama actively supports gay marriage, many who don't care for the issue might stay away.
Because Mitt Romney is a Mormon, many "conservatives" might stay away.
If Mitt Romney wavers on any of the "conservative" issues, "conservatives" might stay away.
If Mitt Romney strictly follows the "conservative" script, many RINOs might stay away.
Wherever you stand on the issues, don't give the election to the candidate with whom you disagree the most. Show up and vote on November 6, 2012!
Remember: the 1% may have the money but the 99% have the votes!
Friday, May 04, 2012
The 1% may have the money but the 99% have the votes!
I thought of the above phrase last night after a "debate" between a Tea Party supporter and an Occupy Movement participant. See "Respectful discussion covers Occupy, Tea Party movements", Mike Creger, Duluth News Tribune, 2012-05-04.
After the main discussion, audience members were allowed two minutes each to speak. I reminded people that all recent presidents and many other elected official received the votes of only a minority of eligible voters.
After I spoke, I pondered the common complaint that elections are bought. Come on! Are we a bunch of zombies who follow some evil master? If we consider ourselves free agents, then we should go to the polls and vote for the candidates we prefer, write in somebody, or leave it blank. If more of us voted, the expensive campaigns may become meaningless. In fact, there have been cases where the candidate who spent the least won the election.
After the main discussion, audience members were allowed two minutes each to speak. I reminded people that all recent presidents and many other elected official received the votes of only a minority of eligible voters.
After I spoke, I pondered the common complaint that elections are bought. Come on! Are we a bunch of zombies who follow some evil master? If we consider ourselves free agents, then we should go to the polls and vote for the candidates we prefer, write in somebody, or leave it blank. If more of us voted, the expensive campaigns may become meaningless. In fact, there have been cases where the candidate who spent the least won the election.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
If you don't vote, don't complain to me
If you're too busy to vote, then you're too busy to complain about the result.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Vote rigging - much ado about nothing?
See "How Republicans are rigging the next election", Harold Meyerson, Washington Post, published in the Star Tribune 2011-09-22.
Republicans are all aflutter about voter fraud. Democrats are all aflutter about "disenfranchising" poor and minority voters.
Republicans – your efforts will be meaningless if…
Democrats – you can make the Republican efforts meaningless by making a really serious effort to get out the vote.
Minnesota had the highest turnout in the nation in 2008 with 77 percent. Does that mean that 23 percent of the eligible voters were disenfranchised poor and minorities?
Wisconsin had 50.9 percent turnout in 2010, and the Republicans claimed a mandate as they took the governorship and control of both houses of the state legislature. Does that mean that 49.1 percent of the eligible voters were disenfranchised poor and minorities?
Come on, folks! Get real!
A too large percentage of eligible voters don't give a damn about either party. A too large percentage of "Democrats" get mad at the Democratic Party and don't show up at election time. Look what happened in New York's Ninth Congressional District. The no-shows gave the seat to the Republican candidate. Were all these no-shows disenfranchised poor and minorities?
Republicans – you're wasting time and money with your voter fraud campaign. In these "hard economic times", you're probably making local governments spend thousands of dollars for each suspected fraudulent voter. Is that efficient use of taxpayer dollars?
Democrats – you're wasting time and money fighting the wrong enemy. Your biggest enemy is voter apathy. Wouldn't a get-out-the-vote campaign be a more efficient use of party funds?
Republicans are all aflutter about voter fraud. Democrats are all aflutter about "disenfranchising" poor and minority voters.
Republicans – your efforts will be meaningless if…
Democrats – you can make the Republican efforts meaningless by making a really serious effort to get out the vote.
Minnesota had the highest turnout in the nation in 2008 with 77 percent. Does that mean that 23 percent of the eligible voters were disenfranchised poor and minorities?
Wisconsin had 50.9 percent turnout in 2010, and the Republicans claimed a mandate as they took the governorship and control of both houses of the state legislature. Does that mean that 49.1 percent of the eligible voters were disenfranchised poor and minorities?
Come on, folks! Get real!
A too large percentage of eligible voters don't give a damn about either party. A too large percentage of "Democrats" get mad at the Democratic Party and don't show up at election time. Look what happened in New York's Ninth Congressional District. The no-shows gave the seat to the Republican candidate. Were all these no-shows disenfranchised poor and minorities?
Republicans – you're wasting time and money with your voter fraud campaign. In these "hard economic times", you're probably making local governments spend thousands of dollars for each suspected fraudulent voter. Is that efficient use of taxpayer dollars?
Democrats – you're wasting time and money fighting the wrong enemy. Your biggest enemy is voter apathy. Wouldn't a get-out-the-vote campaign be a more efficient use of party funds?
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Wisconsin - "I don't give a damn wins again"
From all the hoopla about the recall elections in Wisconsin, one would think really large numbers of people would turn out to keep or replace a senator. Think again. Wisconsin voters were even more apathetic than they were last November, when the overall turnout was 50.9 percent.
"About 44% of voting-age adults in the six districts combined went to the polls Tuesday, approaching the 49% combined turnout rate in those districts in last year’s race for governor." - "Was Tuesday's big recall turnout too big for Democrats?", Craig Gilbert, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2011-08-10.
I glanced at some of the results posted by Wisconsin's General Accountability Board. I remember in one race that the winner had a two-to-one lead. Generalizing from the above turnout, the "winner" had the support of one-third of the eligible voters. If precedent is a guide, the winner is probably gloating over a "landslide" and thinks he or she has a mandate from "the people". Unfortunately, few political winners have the humility to admit that they came in second to a de facto "none of the above".
"About 44% of voting-age adults in the six districts combined went to the polls Tuesday, approaching the 49% combined turnout rate in those districts in last year’s race for governor." - "Was Tuesday's big recall turnout too big for Democrats?", Craig Gilbert, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2011-08-10.
I glanced at some of the results posted by Wisconsin's General Accountability Board. I remember in one race that the winner had a two-to-one lead. Generalizing from the above turnout, the "winner" had the support of one-third of the eligible voters. If precedent is a guide, the winner is probably gloating over a "landslide" and thinks he or she has a mandate from "the people". Unfortunately, few political winners have the humility to admit that they came in second to a de facto "none of the above".
Monday, May 23, 2011
Marriage amendments rather than budget compromise
I posted the following on Facebook in response to a relative's posting of the curt response of Tony Cornish, Republican, MN House concerning his vote on the proposed "marriage" amendment to the Minnesota Constitution.
I plan to vote blank on this proposed amendment in 2012. Unlike voting for people, in Minnesota a blank ballot is counted for constitutional amendments - as a no vote. My purposes are two - I don't like the amendment, and I don't think such amendments should be put on the ballot.
Unfortunately the Republicans and our Democratic governor don't consider that a minority of the eligible voters actually supported them. Many people are proud of the Minnesota turnout of 55.9%, the highest in the country. But to have half the eligible voters support a candidate, nearly ninety percent of the people who actually voted would have to vote for the candidate. I doubt that any candidate in 2010 got that support, even if unopposed.
To end minority government, be sure to vote, even if you have to write somebody in.
I plan to vote blank on this proposed amendment in 2012. Unlike voting for people, in Minnesota a blank ballot is counted for constitutional amendments - as a no vote. My purposes are two - I don't like the amendment, and I don't think such amendments should be put on the ballot.
Unfortunately the Republicans and our Democratic governor don't consider that a minority of the eligible voters actually supported them. Many people are proud of the Minnesota turnout of 55.9%, the highest in the country. But to have half the eligible voters support a candidate, nearly ninety percent of the people who actually voted would have to vote for the candidate. I doubt that any candidate in 2010 got that support, even if unopposed.
To end minority government, be sure to vote, even if you have to write somebody in.
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