Garfield National Historic Site, July 2012 for the Garfield Observer. Written by Joan Kapsch, Park Guide, James A. The Electoral College system was designed to translate narrow or sectional election victories into convincing governing mandates, and most of the time it has worked. The national popular vote system seems to invite challenges and nationwide recounts in very close elections. No two counts will ever be the same, and in close elections claims of fraud are probably inevitable. Party: Nominees: Electoral Vote: Popular Vote: Presidential: Vice Presidential Democratic: Joseph R. In a country with tens of thousands of voting precincts, voting and counting errors are inevitable, even with the best systems in place. At some point, elections must be decided presidents must be chosen. With 185 electoral votes needed for victory, Hancock would then have 205 votes, and Garfield 164. New York and Indiana, the swing states of the 1880 election, would then fall to the Democrats under the national popular vote rule, even though both were won by the Garfield ticket. With a popular vote majority so slim, wouldn’t the Democrats have demanded a recount? If Democrats could find a few thousand more votes in places where they were strong, they could claim victory. An outcome that was generally recognized as conclusive could easily become a prolonged political battle like that of 1876. If Democrats, in response to the contested election of 1876, had induced the states that they won that year – which included New York and Indiana (fifty electoral votes between them) – to change to the national popular vote plan, the aftermath of the voting might have been very different. In 1880, the Republicans’ victory was accepted without challenge because of the size of the Electoral College majority. Photo courtesy of Lake County Historical Society. Trump R Electoral Vote Winner: 306 Main Opponent: 232 Total/Majority: 538/270 Vice President Kamala D. Garfield’s farm) gathering at Town Hall on election day, Novem. The President-Elect is sworn in as President of the United States. Voters from Mentor, Ohio (home of James A.
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