Originally Posted by dc_dux

In the first election in 1789, G. Washington received 100% of the popular vote (he basically ran unopposed) and Adams was the presumptive VP nominee ....yet John Jay, John Hancock, George Clnton and others all received electoral votes.

I wonder how many of those Jay/Hancock/Clinton electoral votes were FOR them or AGAINST Washinton/Adams coalition...some were Federalist, some were anti_Federalist.

There have always been and always will be "protest" votes, but IMO you are making it out to be a bigger issue than I believe it is. Where is ANY data (not polls on discussion boards) that it is greater this year than int he past?

Its probably about 1 out of 5 nationwide this year and I just dont find that so surprising and probably not that different from most recent presidential elections.

But...we see what we want to see.