Extra Republican Electoral vote in 2008?

[Gustaf]

Everyone ought to have equal representation, IMHO. The easiest thing would perhaps be to not count DC as a place of residence for voting purposes? Otherwise, the most interesting thing would be to adjoin DC to Virginia, since that state would be a swing state.

[Gustaf]

Everyone ought to have equal representation, IMHO. The easiest thing would perhaps be to not count DC as a place of residence for voting purposes? Otherwise, the most interesting thing would be to adjoin DC to Virginia, since that state would be a swing state.

The District of Columbia used to include an area on the south bank of the Potomac.  If you look at a county map of Virginia, the SW boundary of Arglington completes the square borders of the original DC (except where the city of Alexandria has chomped off a corner.  Alexandria also extends outside the square).

The southwestern area was retroceded to Virginia in 1846, and has been under Virginia jurisdiction ever since.  It is also the location of the Pentagon which as a federal property is under US jurisdiction.

The same could be done for the rest of the district, retroceding it to Maryland.  Maryland could make Washington a city-county (like Baltimore city).  With no district, the 23rd Amendment is moot.

Putting DC in Maryland would only serve to make an already safely Democratic state super-safe. It would be much more interesting to put it in Virginia. But I guess Maryland would be the compromise. Dems gain a CD but lose 2 EVs.

[Gustaf]

The problem is that too many people are now unrepresented in congress, something I find a little unfair. I also think the senate is somewhat unfair, but that's another matter.