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Joe BidenCongratulations to our presumptive Democratic nominee, Joe Biden!
 

mwooldri

(10,291 posts)
66. What happens in a "first past the post" electoral system.
Wed Feb 12, 2020, 12:54 AM
Feb 2020

The winner has the "most votes" yes but not an absolute majority. The way to overcome this would be with some sort of single transferable vote system, where candidates are ranked by voter in terms of choice 1,2,3 etc.

First Past The Post works in the USA because there's typically only two viable candidates. If the USA ended up having multiple parties you would end up with a particular candidate winning but never with more than 50% of the vote.

What the Democratic Party has done with the primary elections has sort of given a form of proportional representation to the process - candidates win "delegates", and if all candidates ran all primary elections and caucuses they could request their delegates vote for another candidate instead... i.e. the "brokered convention".

We could reform the whole process... Have a single "super Tuesday" primary election, use the single transferable vote system, pick a candidate to represent the party in the general election in one fell swoop. No dragging it out.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
yes another smashing victory where 70% of the voters don't want him lol nt msongs Feb 2020 #1
Same could be said of any other candidate, only with a slightly higher percentage. Mister Ed Feb 2020 #6
Right. krissey Feb 2020 #14
Wouldn't that logic mean 80% did not want Klobuchar and 91% not want Biden? nt kelly1mm Feb 2020 #21
They are sharing the same Democratic vote. krissey Feb 2020 #37
And Sanders and Warren aren't? nt mattclearing Feb 2020 #41
No. Most of Warren is strong Democrats who voted HRC. krissey Feb 2020 #45
Yeah, the HRC crowd love Warren's tough talk on Wall Street and embrace of Medicare for All. nt mattclearing Feb 2020 #59
Wasn't thrilled when she went M4A but she back off like we knew her position to be. That wasn't a krissey Feb 2020 #60
The HRC people I've known didn't like Warren. mattclearing Feb 2020 #63
I do not believe you. krissey Feb 2020 #67
This message was self-deleted by its author mattclearing Feb 2020 #72
Whatevs mattclearing Feb 2020 #73
Oh, you talked to all the voters fallout87 Feb 2020 #47
lol, lol. krissey Feb 2020 #48
Wait!! You want to use logic when it comes to fairly treating Bernie like other candidates?!?! InAbLuEsTaTe Feb 2020 #54
What happens in a "first past the post" electoral system. mwooldri Feb 2020 #66
Get another line. Gravitycollapse Feb 2020 #71
yay! FirstLight Feb 2020 #2
NH was called for BS? sheshe2 Feb 2020 #3
He was up by more than 6% about a half hour ago, now down to 3.5%..... George II Feb 2020 #13
Well then... sheshe2 Feb 2020 #17
He's down to 2pts now FreeState Feb 2020 #16
Thank you! sheshe2 Feb 2020 #19
Not so fast. He's only up by 3.5% (vs. 20+% four years ago) and he's tied with Buttigieg... George II Feb 2020 #4
Wasn't it you who thought Bernie wouldn't make the 15% threshold in any state? aikoaiko Feb 2020 #10
No it wasn't me. George II Feb 2020 #11
Congrats Bernie squirecam Feb 2020 #5
It sure is and congrats to your candidate... Amy had an awesome night!! InAbLuEsTaTe Feb 2020 #55
He will need more donations now. mysteryowl Feb 2020 #7
Yup, i have one on the way. CentralMass Feb 2020 #9
ME TOO!! InAbLuEsTaTe Feb 2020 #57
I trust that many more of us are doing the same. CentralMass Feb 2020 #62
Looking at Bernie's monthly record-breakin $$ haul, I would respond with a resounding "YES"!! InAbLuEsTaTe Feb 2020 #69
You mean his 1st first place finish calguy Feb 2020 #8
Buttigieg won Iowa. Why would you post something not true? krissey Feb 2020 #12
Oh he got the most votes? Tiggeroshii Feb 2020 #20
They don't matter in Iowa. TwilightZone Feb 2020 #23
If you can count them, they matter Tiggeroshii Feb 2020 #25
Nope. TwilightZone Feb 2020 #29
Yes. The popular vote always matters Tiggeroshii Feb 2020 #31
It doesn't equate to a win. TwilightZone Feb 2020 #34
It matters. Tiggeroshii Feb 2020 #35
Sanders did not get the most delegates from Iowa. unitedwethrive Feb 2020 #51
It a case like this, a clinical deadheat, a recount or in this case recanvassing CentralMass Feb 2020 #26
Gonna cry "cheating" again? krissey Feb 2020 #40
I don't think cheating in Iowa is the issue. I think the process was a complete clusterf.ck. CentralMass Feb 2020 #49
Go Bernie! Anaxamander Feb 2020 #15
It's hard for some to admit cuz its Bernie who's glidin' & Biden who's slidin'... InAbLuEsTaTe Feb 2020 #56
Latest polls show Bernie can win all NH delegates. OilemFirchen Feb 2020 #18
ROFLMAO.. +100 -nt Amimnoch Feb 2020 #24
Lol squirecam Feb 2020 #58
Another? When was the first time? ecstatic Feb 2020 #22
2016, man. Zolorp Feb 2020 #36
Buttigieg won Iowa. TwilightZone Feb 2020 #27
Pete is within 2 points of Bernie, with a third of the vote still not tallied. highplainsdem Feb 2020 #28
It would be hilarious if Pete won again. TwilightZone Feb 2020 #30
I hope he wins, too. highplainsdem Feb 2020 #33
It would make my night. I am already very happy. krissey Feb 2020 #43
Every time 1 or 2% of the precincts reports, his lead drops by a tenth of a percent. Zolorp Feb 2020 #44
YESSSSSS!! WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO!! InAbLuEsTaTe Feb 2020 #32
Congrats to Bernie! James48 Feb 2020 #38
He keeps losing ground the more votes come in. Zolorp Feb 2020 #39
He hasn't won yet. cwydro Feb 2020 #42
Yep, Sanders' lead keeps dropping. Zolorp Feb 2020 #46
he's winning by 4500 votes as of now. floppyboo Feb 2020 #52
OFFS! Zolorp Feb 2020 #53
He may win New Hampshire but he lost in Iowa. StevieM Feb 2020 #50
NBC calls it for BERNIE! James48 Feb 2020 #61
9-9 delegate split HarlanPepper Feb 2020 #68
From a 60% win to a tie NYMinute Feb 2020 #64
Congrats to Bernie, its only the beginning but I hope & wish for his continued success yaesu Feb 2020 #65
Congratulations Bernie! myohmy2 Feb 2020 #70
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