The Borda Count is an election-method where voters rank their preferences, with more points being allotted to more highly ranked candidates. It was developed in France by Jean-Charles de Borda in 1770 and used by the French Academy of Sciences. Let's say that Benjamin Franklin, while he is in France, visits the French Academy of Sciences and is enchanted by this novel form of voting, seeing it as an ideal way to reach consensus in elections and decision-making.
In 1787, he proposes to the Constitutional Convention that the Electoral College give each Elector a first-place vote (worth two points) and a second-place vote (worth one point) instead of two equally-weighted votes. Other than this change, the Constitution is identical to OTL's.
I don't think this would have any effect on the elections of 1789, 1792, or 1796, especially given that candidates did not run as president/vice-president ticket in those races. It would avoid the Jefferson-Burr tie in 1800 that threw the election into the House. Instead, Jefferson and Adams would likely trade places, with Jefferson going from VP to President and Adams being elected to a third term as VPOTUS.
How would this affect future elections? Would parties even bother to run candidates for the vice presidency, since the presidential nominee from the opposite party would almost always finish in second place? Would parties try to cooperate more? Would there be any form of a 12th amendment, either to change the voting system or possibly to increase the influence of the vice president?
In 1787, he proposes to the Constitutional Convention that the Electoral College give each Elector a first-place vote (worth two points) and a second-place vote (worth one point) instead of two equally-weighted votes. Other than this change, the Constitution is identical to OTL's.
I don't think this would have any effect on the elections of 1789, 1792, or 1796, especially given that candidates did not run as president/vice-president ticket in those races. It would avoid the Jefferson-Burr tie in 1800 that threw the election into the House. Instead, Jefferson and Adams would likely trade places, with Jefferson going from VP to President and Adams being elected to a third term as VPOTUS.
How would this affect future elections? Would parties even bother to run candidates for the vice presidency, since the presidential nominee from the opposite party would almost always finish in second place? Would parties try to cooperate more? Would there be any form of a 12th amendment, either to change the voting system or possibly to increase the influence of the vice president?