National-Vote Elections

National-Vote Elections is the alternative of the two election models offered on the setup screen. Under the standard Classic model, the midterm and the presidential election are fought state by state, based on how the focus group has reacted over the course of the term. Under the Alternative model, the whole country moves as one, and the national approval number decides everything. The setup screen describes it as simpler and based almost entirely on national approval.

What it switches on

The Elections group on the setup screen offers two buttons, Classic and Alternative. Choosing Alternative applies for the rest of that game, with no premium account needed, and the setting is offered in every presidential era. The career builder does not offer it; a career always runs Classic. Workshop packs carry a dial for this setting that can force it on or off for anyone playing the pack.

What it changes in play

Under the Classic model, the election result for each state builds up over the term from the focus group's reactions, adjusted for things such as a midterm swing against the president's party, the disadvantage of running as an incumbent, the economy, campaign funding and approval, before the map is decided. The Alternative model keeps the same map but replaces every state's score with the national approval number, so the only thing separating one state from another is a small amount of random variation. It also sets aside the usual midterm, incumbency, economy, funding and approval adjustments, on the reasoning that the approval number already reflects everything the president has done. As a result, a president who polls clearly above fifty wins every state, and one who polls clearly below fifty loses every state; only the states nearest the fifty-point line are ever in doubt.

Congress follows the same number. The election for the House starts from the president's approval rating and converts it into a realistic share of seats for his party, a higher rating producing more seats and a lower one fewer, then allocates them starting with the districts most favourable to that party. The resulting map still looks geographically plausible, and redistricting and new states still take effect as normal.

Two smaller parts of the game also follow the national number. A state poll bought with the campaign war chest during election season reports the national approval number rather than the state's own figure, so a poll in Ohio and a poll in Vermont show the same race. The campaign banner on the dashboard also shows the president's share of the race as the rounded approval number, rather than the blended figure it shows under the Classic model.

What it does not change

The switch does not touch the debates, the campaign events, the war chest or the focus group, all of which continue to run exactly as they do under the Classic model. It only changes how the accumulated result is turned into states and seats on election night.