Nebraska: 4 to 1

The person who wins the most votes in each state during the presidential campaign gets all the electoral votes, right?

Wrong.



That's true for 48 of the states where the electoral college vote is winner take all. Maine and Nebraska, however, do it differently. In each case, the state awards two of its votes to the winner of the state popular vote total. The other votes are apportioned to the winner of the popular vote in each congressional district.


In November, Nebraska for the first time split its electoral college vote. Nebraska is a very Republican state and McCain swamped Obama overall, winning two of state's electoral college votes. He also beat Obama in the Third Congressional District (most of the state west of Lincoln) and the First Congressional District (including the area around Lincoln and roughly the eastern third). Obama, however, beat McCain in the popular vote in the 2nd Congressional District, which is essentially Omaha.

So, Obama gets 1 electoral college vote from Nebraska, and McCain gets 4.

Odds are the Republican-controlled legislature (which is nonpartisan, but not really) will change the law so this doesn't happen again...

I've been recovering from the election. Expect more posts about the election, Obama's administration, and other current events soon.