USA PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS vs.INDIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

Electoral College Structure

• United States:
  • Composition: 538 electors (435 Representatives + 100 Senators + 3 from Washington, D.C.).
  • Allocation: Winner-takes-all in 48 states; Maine and Nebraska use congressional district method.
  • Threshold: 270 electoral votes needed to win.
  • Key Feature: Electors are party loyalists, bound by state laws (though rare “faithless electors” exist). The system can result in a president winning without the national popular vote (e.g., 2000, 2016).
• India:
  • Composition: Elected MPs (Members of Parliament) and MLAs (Members of State Legislative Assemblies).
  • Vote Weighting:
    • MPs: Fixed value (708 votes each as of 2022).
    • MLAs: Value varies by state population [(State Population / No. of MLAs) ÷ 1000]. For example, an MLA from Uttar Pradesh has a higher vote value than one from Sikkim.
  • Total Votes: ~1.1 million (weighted votes from 543 MPs + 4,120 MLAs).
  • Threshold: 50% + 1 of total valid votes (quota system via Single Transferable Vote).

Nomination Process

• United States:
  • Primaries/Caucuses: Candidates compete in state-level contests to secure delegates for party nomination at national conventions.
  • General Election: Parties nominate a single candidate; independents face high barriers (e.g., ballot access requirements).
• India:
  • Proposers/Seconders: A candidate needs 50 proposers and 50 seconders from the Electoral College (MPs/MLAs). This ensures only consensus candidates with cross-party support can contest.
  • Non-Partisan Role: The President is expected to remain apolitical, so nominations often reflect bipartisan agreement.

Election Process

• United States:
  • Winner-Takes-All: Focuses on swing states; campaigns target “battlegrounds” like Florida or Pennsylvania.
  • Direct Voting: Citizens vote for electors pledged to a candidate. The Electoral College formally elects the president in December.
• India:
  • Proportional Representation: Uses Single Transferable Vote (STV):
    1. Voters (MPs/MLAs) rank candidates.
    2. Candidates must meet a quota (total votes ÷ 2 + 1). If no one meets it in the first round, the lowest-ranked candidate is eliminated, and votes are redistributed until a winner emerges.
  • Secret Ballot: Electors vote anonymously, preventing party coercion and encouraging merit-based choices.

Outcome Implications

• United States:
  • Executive Power: President is both head of state and government, wielding significant authority (e.g., veto power, commander-in-chief).
  • Controversies: Focus on electoral math over national popular vote can lead to perceptions of unfairness.
• India:
  • Ceremonial Role: President’s powers are largely symbolic (e.g., assenting to laws, appointing PM). Real executive power lies with the Prime Minister.
  • Consensus-Building: The STV system ensures the President has broad support across states and parties, reinforcing federal unity.

Summary Table

Key Takeaways

• The U.S. system emphasizes state-level majorities and executive authority, while India prioritizes proportional consensus for a symbolic role.
• India’s STV and weighted voting ensure federal balance, whereas the U.S. system risks marginalizing minority votes in non-competitive states.