Swing-Voters, Swing-States, and the Distortion of the Winner-Take-All Electoral College

David A. Schultz, Hamline University
Christopher M. Duquette, MITRE

Abstract

In the United States voting is a fundamental right marked by the requirement of equal weight. This concept is best expressed by the Supreme Court in its reapportionment decisions where it mandated “one person, one vote.” Yet despite this equal weight imperative, some votes count more than others. This is especially true in presidential elections where some argue that the winner-take-all method for allocating electoral votes gives disproportionate weight to some voters and states. This article presents a new method assessing the impact of swing voters within the winner-take-all method states use to allocate electoral votes. It seeks to show that such a system produces significant inequities in the voting power of citizens across states.