Are there moves afoot to change the electoral vote system?
Maryland has enacted a measure called the National Popular Vote bill. Under this law, Maryland’s ten electoral votes would be awarded to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. In order to take effect, the Maryland legislation would require the enactment of identical laws in enough other states to reach a majority of the electoral votes, that is, 270 out of 538. But smaller states such as Nevada, Vermont, South Dakota, and Alaska would lose clout under this proposal. The Electoral College system over-weights the power of small population states because every state, no matter how small its population, gets at least three electoral votes.
A. Maryland has enacted a measure called the National Popular Vote bill. Under this law, Maryland’s ten electoral votes would be awarded to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. In order to take effect, the Maryland legislation would require the enactment of identical laws in enough other states to reach a majority of the electoral votes, that is, 270 out of 538. But smaller states such as Nevada, Vermont, South Dakota, and Alaska would lose clout under this proposal. The Electoral College system over-weights the power of small population states because every state, no matter how small its population, gets at least three electoral votes. Q.
A. Maryland has enacted a measure called the National Popular Vote bill. Under this law, Maryland’s ten electoral votes would be awarded to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. In order to take effect, the Maryland legislation would require the enactment of identical laws in enough other states to reach a majority of the electoral votes, that is, 270 out of 538. But smaller states such as Nevada, Vermont, South Dakota, and Alaska would lose clout under this proposal. The Electoral College system over-weights the power of small population states because every state, no matter how small its population, gets at least three electoral votes. Q. How is it possible for a candidate to win the nationwide popular vote and yet lose the electoral vote? A. He or she can do so by amassing big vote margins in states in which his party is dominant, while losing other states narrowly.
Maryland and New Jersey have enacted a measure called the National Popular Vote bill. Under this law, a state’s electoral votes would be awarded to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The Maryland legislation would not take effect until the enactment of identical laws in enough other states to reach a majority of the electoral votes, that is, 270 out of 538. But smaller states such as Vermont, South Dakota, and Alaska would lose clout under this proposal. The Electoral College system guarantees that every state, no matter how small its population, gets at least three electoral votes. Could Congress scrap the electoral vote system? It could begin to do so by proposing an amendment to the Constitution, but that proposal would need to be ratified by three-quarters of the states. Has Congress ever considered scrapping the Electoral College system?
