Group of law firms file complaint challenging winner-take-all approach to electoral college

JURIST Feb 23, 2018

[JURIST] A large group of law firms and prominent law professors, led by David Boies [offical profile] of Boies Schiller Flexner, LLP, alongside the Leauge of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) [websites] has filed four lawsuits [press release] challenging the winner-take-all approach to the electoral college.

Under the Constitution, the electoral college [National Archives backgrounder] provides that the “electors” of the college are the individuals who choose the president and vice president. However, the states are permitted to determine how these electors are selected. Currently, 48 states and Washington, DC, have winner-take-all systems through which the leading candidate’s political party selects all electors. Only Maine and Nebraska have a form of proportional representation. The winner-take-all approach, critics note, is what enables a candidate to win the election even when losing the popular vote.

The lawsuits challenging these practices were filed in federal courts in Massachusetts, California, Texas and South Carolina.

 

BC Law: The Electoral College Dilemma

The Electoral College Dilemma BC Law Nov 2, 2018 Calling the Electoral College one of the “least understood disasters at the core of our Constitution,” Harvard Professor Lawrence Lessig (above) launched a Rappaport Center for Law and Public Policy discussion convened...

read more

Commonwealth Magazine: Galvin, Zakim trade verbal punches

Galvin, Zakim Trade Verbal Punches Commonwealth Magazine Aug 15, 2018 There was no love lost between Secretary of State William Galvin and Boston City Councilor Josh Zakim who squared off in a tense half-hour television debate on Tuesday evening, trading verbal...

read more

STAY UPDATED

Tell your grandkids you helped save American democracy—join the grassroots effort to make our presidential elections more equal. We’ll keep you updated on our progress.

JOIN THE FIGHT

SPREAD THE WORD

Help build this team—tell friends you know are frustrated by the way we elect our president to join you in the fight to challenge the Electoral College.

DONATE

Just like every vote, every donation counts in a grassroots movement like this.
Our success depends on Americans who believe in this work chipping in.

MAKE A DONATION TODAY

Share This