In most states, presidential elections are fairly simple. Whichever candidate garners the most votes wins all of that state’s electoral votes. There are two tiny exceptions (Maine and Nebraska), but that’s typically how it works. President Obama won a majority of votes in Pennsylvania, so he got all 20 of its electoral votes.
Over the past year, however, a number of Republican lawmakers in blue states have been pushing an alternative system. The states would split their electoral votes between different candidates. …
So let’s look at some of the different proposals here — as well as what effect they would have had on the 2012 presidential election. [cont.]
Brad Plumer, Washington Post