Midterm Elections 2018

[camion]

61% of the vote, won 92% of the seats. Gerrymandering that North Carolinians could be proud of.

Possibly, but I think one would need a more detailed analysis than two percentages to confidently draw such a conclusion. Do we have such an analysis? I don't know since I don't follow New Jersey closely.

[PackMan97]

Possibly, but I think one would need a more detailed analysis than two percentages to confidently draw such a conclusion. Do we have such an analysis? I don't know since I don't follow New Jersey closely.

Unfortunately my go to source for fair elections (fairvote.org) is having some troubles serving up state specific reports. I'll try again later. You may or may not have a point

[CameronBornAndBred]

With the results in Maine, the Dems have currently picked up a net gain of 35 seats.

[Bostondevil]

Possibly, but I think one would need a more detailed analysis than two percentages to confidently draw such a conclusion. Do we have such an analysis? I don't know since I don't follow New Jersey closely.

Agreed - 61% of the vote is a lot. Assuming no third party votes, that's Dems winning 61 - 39 - a whopping 22 points! One could even argue it's surprising the Republicans won any seats at all. It's not like Dems took under half the vote and got 11 of 12 seats. If they had, that would be gerrymandering that North Carolina could be proud of.

[gus]

61% of the vote, won 92% of the seats. Gerrymandering that North Carolinians could be proud of.

Nice try.

The NJ map was selected by a bipartisan commission, and the one that was selected is actually the map drawn by the Republicans.

[PackMan97]

Nice try.

The NJ map was selected by a bipartisan commission, and the one that was selected is actually the map drawn by the Republicans.

I'm not sure where I mentioned party affiliation or process...but I think anytime almost 40% of the electorate are left with 8% of the power, it's a rotten system. Results like this are why are political process has become so toxic.

[gus]

I'm not sure where I mentioned party affiliation or process...but I think anytime almost 40% of the electorate are left with 8% of the power, it's a rotten system. Results like this are why are political process has become so toxic.

North Carolina's map was explicitly drawn to favor republicans. NJ's map was drawn to be fair, with equal input and vote from each of the two major parties (with an independent tie breaker). NJ is not gerrymandered (it actually has a very slight republican bias). Here's a good analysis

What you're complaining about is representative democracy. 46% of the electorate didn't vote for Menendez, and yet he's senator for 100% of NJ's population.

[dudog84]

Nice try.

The NJ map was selected by a bipartisan commission, and the one that was selected is actually the map drawn by the Republicans.

I'm not sure where I mentioned party affiliation or process...but I think anytime almost 40% of the electorate are left with 8% of the power, it's a rotten system. Results like this are why are political process has become so toxic.

Oh please, let's not deny the obvious.

Why can't anyone admit they were wrong anymore? That adds a lot of toxicity to more than just politics.

[dudog84]

North Carolina's map was explicitly drawn to favor republicans. NJ's map was drawn to be fair, with equal input and vote from each of the two major parties (with an independent tie breaker). NJ is not gerrymandered (it actually has a very slight republican bias). Here's a good analysis

What you're complaining about is representative democracy. 46% of the electorate didn't vote for Menendez, and yet he's senator for 100% of NJ's population.

And then there's the Electoral College. Not trying to start a PPB argument, just sayin'.

[JasonEvans]

I'm not sure where I mentioned party affiliation or process...but I think anytime almost 40% of the electorate are left with 8% of the power, it's a rotten system. Results like this are why are political process has become so toxic.

Ok, do you have a solution? The districts in NJ were drawn in a bi-partisan fashion in an effort to be as fair as possible. What else should be done?

Let me ask-- 40% getting 8% of the seats is wrong. Ok. Is 30% getting 8% wrong? What about if the GOP vote was 20% and they only got 8% of the seats. Would that be fair enough? What about a state like Alaska, where the Dems took 45% of the vote but have 0% of the seats.

It sounds like you are advocating fcor some kind of proportional representation system. While I can see the value in it and I would probably advocate for something like it if I was allowed to completely re-design our system from the ground up, America has never done things that way, not even close. The proportional representation thing is soooo far from what our nation has that it just doesn't feel productive to lament it at this point.

I am aware that Democrats have done some Gerrymandering, Maryland and New Mexico are often cited as the worst Dem examples of this, and I find it as wrong and reprehensible there are I do in the many states where the GOP has pulled it off. It is a bad thing that circumvents the will of the people and makes it even harder for middle of the road candidates to get any traction.

-Jason "but NJ is not an example of the will of the voters being thwarted through rigging the electoral system" Evans

[Highlander]

I'm not sure where I mentioned party affiliation or process...but I think anytime almost 40% of the electorate are left with 8% of the power, it's a rotten system. Results like this are why are political process has become so toxic.

I get your point, but in a democracy, a 40% share of the electorate doesn't entitle you to 40% of the power, gerrymandering or no, especially for statewide elections. States that are 60/40 split are effectively part of the blue/red wall when it comes to electoral votes.

Gerrymandering can turn 54% of the electorate into 35% of the power, or 40% of the electorate into 0% of the power. In fact, you could make an argument that with 40% you'd NEED some gerrymandering to ensure minority representation.

The proportional allocation system you are advocating for is not a bad system in theory, but it's very different than what we have and would require some adjustment. For example, NC has 13 representatives, so you'd have to somehow vote on all representatives as an entire state and then allocate the individual representatives proportionally based on the totals.

[PackMan97]

The proportional allocation system you are advocating for is not a bad system in theory, but it's very different than what we have and would require some adjustment. For example, NC has 13 representatives, so you'd have to somehow vote on all representatives as an entire state and then allocate the individual representatives proportionally based on the totals.

I would prefer multi-member districts, maybe between 3-7 members each. That way a political minority that is at least 1/3 of the district can win representation.

It looks like NJ probably isn't a good example of poor representation after all. https://fairvote.app.box.com/v/MP18-NJ-State-Page

[CameronBornAndBred]

With just over 12,000 votes separating the candidates in the Florida senate race, the election has been ordered to a hand recount.

[cato]

With just over 12,000 votes separating the candidates in the Florida senate race, the election has been ordered to a hand recount.

Hmm. Time to bust out the popcorn or the hard liquor? Or both?

[CameronBornAndBred]

Hmm. Time to bust out the popcorn or the hard liquor? Or both?

Both.

CRN-90.jpg

[OldPhiKap]

Both.

CRN-90.jpg

Now THAT’S really corn likker

[dudog84]

-Jason "Looking very much like we will have a 53-47 GOP senate... unless something insane happens in Mississippi" Evans

Such as the R candidate saying she'd be in the front row for a public hanging in her contest against a black man?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...eW9?li=BBnb7Kz

Despite this story, I don't think it changes anything in Mississippi.

And now that same candidate's take on voter suppression: "Maybe we want to make it just a little more difficult. And I think that's a great idea." She's speaking of "liberal folks".

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...t-idea-n936946

[dudog84]

What am I going to do? {wringing hands} I threw out my voter ID card when they wouldn't let me wear my Groucho glasses at the polling station, and now I'm going to starve to death!

[BandAlum83]

With just over 12,000 votes separating the candidates in the Florida senate race, the election has been ordered to a hand recount.

The real news will be when we find out if all the undervotes (some 25,000 k in Broward) are the result of machine malfunction or poor ballot design.

Machine malfunction causing misses to votes that were there is really the only thing that can get Nelson the seat, it would seem.

I wonder if we will get any take on this before the hand recount is finalized.

[OldPhiKap]

Broward County recounts its ballots — but turns in the results two minutes late. So the recount doesn’t count.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/15/polit...unt/index.html