In the last two elections, an Electoral College bias in favor of the democratic candidate has developed. In 2008 Obama beat McCain by 7.26%, but it would have taken 9.5% shift nationwide towards McCain for the Republican to have won a majority of the Electoral Votes. In 2012, Obama beat Romney by 3.86%, but it would have taken a 5.37% shift towards Romney for the Republican to win a majority of the Electoral Votes. Thus, in the last two elections there has been about a 2% bias in the Electoral College, such that had either election been close, Obama could have won in the Electoral College but lost the popular vote by up to 2%.
Recently bills were introduced into committees in MI that could level the playing field.
http://www.mlive.com/lansing-news/index.ssf/2015/03/michigan_political_points_elec.htmlThese bills would award electoral votes in proportion to the popular vote or by Congressional district winners. If this had been in place in the last election, Romney would have earned 7 electoral votes in MI and he could have won in the Electoral College with a popular vote shift of 3.8%, almost exactly Obama’s margin of victory. Thus these bills could eliminate a Democratic bias in the Electoral College.
