The America (Mis)Represented: 2022 Election Report examines how vote splitting distorts the electoral process in the United States, specifically focusing on the 2022 election cycle.
Vote Splitting in Elections:
• Vote splitting occurs in plurality voting systems when votes are divided among multiple candidates, often resulting in a winner who does not receive a majority of the vote.
• This phenomenon is prevalent across various levels of government, leading to non-majority winners who may not best represent their constituencies. Main Findings from the 2022 Election Cycle:
• Approximately 11.9% of the 5,662 national primary elections (state legislative, statewide office, and congressional races) involved vote splitting.
• Vote splitting affected elections in both Democratic, Republican, and swing states, with New Hampshire, Arizona, Nebraska, California, and Nevada showing significant instances.
• Notable cases include J.D. Vance in Ohio and Andrea Salinas in Oregon winning with less than 50% of the vote in their primaries.
