Toward a Popular Vote

The "Hamilton Electors" and Electoral College protestors didn't succeed on Dec. 19. [AP Photo/Elaine Thompson]

“She has made history. In a nation that is good at so many things but that has made it uniquely difficult for a woman to be elected to federal office. She became the first major party nominee as a woman to be president and last night won the popular vote of Americans. That is an amazing accomplishment.”  -- Tim Kaine, Nov. 9

Almost three million more Americans voted for Hillary Clinton than for Donald Trump last month. This is both true and yet practically meaningless given the Electoral College. 

There are more dimensions to the 2016 presidential election outcome than one can wrap their mind around. The Democratic Party’s reckoning alone will likely last years. 

But the sharp popular vote / Electoral College divergence this year is a big part of what happened. It was decisive. How do we respond to the second split in five elections?