Comparing and contrasting US and Guyana presidential elections

Oct 26, 2020 Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,
Contrary to what many Guyanese may believe, the US and Guyana Presidential elections are very different. The candidate with most or a majority of votes is not necessarily elected President in the US unlike in Guyana. America is probably the only country where a Presidential candidate can win the most votes and still not elected as President.
The electoral votes of the 50 states plus Washington DC matter. Al Gore and Hillary Clinton won the popular votes but did not win the Presidency because they lost in the electoral college.
Leaving aside the process of selection of a party’s candidate, who is selected by members of the party through a delegate process, there are major differences from Guyana’s Presidential election. (The delegates who gather to choose the Presidential candidate are selected by members of the party in transparent, competitive elections, not in back room, closed door dealings).
While the Guyana President is elected directly by voters, the US President is indirectly elected by voters. Voters cast ballots for electors who in turn elect the President and Vice President. When citizens, registered voters, go out to vote on November 3, they are voting for a list of electors (called electoral college) who will gather in December to cast ballots for the President and Vice President. The votes that are cast by the voters will be counted that very night (plus early voters casting ballots over last two weeks and absentees ballots) while the votes of the electoral college vote will be counted in January and announced by Congress (Vice President) declaring the winner. There are 538 electors and a majority of 270 is needed for victory.
The American President, unlike in Guyana, is not chosen by the popular (or most) votes but by the electors of each of the 50 states plus Washington DC.
The 51 entities decide the winner of the elections. There are 51 mini presidential contests.
Each state has a number of electors equal to its Congressional size (minimum 3 as in Alaska to maximum 55 as in California that depends on the size of the population of the state). When people vote, they cast ballots for a list of electors (identified by a party with names given but are not on the ballot).
Whichever party or candidate receives the most votes will win that list of electors.
(Two states divide up the number of electors by proportion of votes). When all the electors of states won by a candidate that are added cumulatively, the party or candidate that wins a minimum 270 votes is declared President Presumed or President Elect.
The electors would gather in December in Washington and vote for the President. They can change their mind and vote for another candidate for President and VP; and it is known to happen in the past.
The ballots are opened by Congress in January and counted. Whichever Presidential nominee gets the threshold of 270, wins and the Vice President announces the winner. The actual popular votes are also counted and added cumulatively in state won by a candidate. The vote count is to determine the popularity of a candidate.
When people cast ballots, there is only one vote for President and VP. But when the electors cast their vote in the electoral college, they vote separately for President and VP.
If no candidate gets the minimum 270 votes or if there is a tie of 269, then the election is thrown to Congress to choose the President and VP. The House determines the President based on the 51 entities, each having one vote with 26 needed for victory.
The Congressional delegation from each state would gather and decide by a majority how each state will cast its vote between the two contenders.
The Senate chooses the VP from the 100 Senators; 51 needed for victory.
In Guyana, there isn’t a vote for Vice President or Prime Minister; the President appoints someone. In the US, there are separate ballots for President, Members of Congress, and for other offices. In Guyana, when one votes for President, one also votes for the number of seats for a party assigned to the parliament in a PR system.
The head of the party list chooses the MPs in Guyana. In the US, people vote directly for Members of Congress. The President or leader of the party plays no role in choosing a member of Congress. The President or party leader cannot select the candidate for Congress or any elective office. All nominations for office are done democratically in elections restricted to party members. Who will win the US Presidency is the subject of another article.
Yours truly,
Vishnu Bisram (Political Scientist)

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