I maintain that the issue is not the EC itself , or just the distribution of the Electoral Votes , but the fact that most of the states are Winner take All . Take my home state of MI for example . This was the first time the state flipped Red since Bush Sr . , in 1988 , 1988 with a map that looked somewhat similar to the one from 2016 e l e c t i o n r e sultsmappresidentmichigan . However , even the most red or blue states have their pockets of the other color . Now looking at the numbers in MI this year , with just 0 . 3 % of the vote , Trump won all 16 electoral votes , because of Winner Take All . Maine and Nebraska , however , allow for split electoral v o t e s e l e c t oralvotesmaineandnebraska , by a somewhat convoluted system . However , it means there is precedent for not Winner Take All . Let ' s look at just MI and what that would have meant if it was proportional distribution . Numbers wise , this was the distribution of the popular vote in the state Trump 47 . 6 % Clinton 47 . 3 % Johnson 3 . 6 % Stein 1 . 1 % Assuming that based on the number of Electoral Votes , 16 , that a minimum threshold MUST be reached to claim a single Electoral Vote , that % would be 116 0 . 0625 , or 6 . 25 % of the vote . That automatically excludes Johnson and Stein . So , the remaining ones divide up the 16 based on their percent of the popular vote . NOTE under this theoretical system , the total votes allocated might not be all 16 , if the 3 rd party votes can pull a total of 6 . 25 % or more , keeping those votes ' locked away ' from the big two . This would slightly increase the power of a 3 rd party protest vote , and is intended . However , in this case , 3 . 6 % 1 . 1 % is less than 6 . 25 %, so that will not be the case in this example . So , with their percents of the vote translated to EC votes Trump 47 . 6 % 16 0 . 476 7 . 616 . Clinton 47 . 3 % 16 0 . 473 7 . 568 . Political scientists would need to comment on if there would be any benefit to allocation of decimal values of EC votes , so for now let ' s assume standard math rounding rules apply . Each would round up , having passed the . 5 mark , to 8 Electoral Votes each . Trump 8 Electoral College Votes Clinton 8 Electoral College VotesThis would also mean that the ' out ' party in a state does not feel that their votes are ignored and meaningless looking at you CA and what you usually do with GOP votes , or the Democrats in Wyoming that have not felt heard pretty much since these parties came to the fore . It might increase voter engagement and participation . And it would put every state in play , not just the large population swing states .