State law takes US a step closer to popular vote deciding presidential elections

[Anti Federalist]

State law takes US a step closer to popular vote deciding presidential elections

https://abcnews.go.com/US/state-law-takes-us-step-closer-popular-vote/story?id=109437887

Maine is the latest state to pass the National Popular Vote Legislation law.

By Nadine El-Bawab
April 21, 2024, 6:23 AM

After much public debate, a Maine law has brought the country closer to having the popular vote determine the winner of national presidential elections -- but it's unlikely that will happen before November or even at all.

Earlier this week, Maine Gov. Janet Mills allowed a bill to become law without her signature that would take effect once the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact is able to gather pledges for at least 270 electoral votes -- the number of delegate votes needed to elect a president.

The movement has now gathered pledges from 17 states and Washington, D.C. -- accounting for a total of 209 electoral votes.

The movement seeks to change the way a president is chosen, without a constitutional amendment, but experts say it's unclear what happens when enough states have signed on. It's unlikely this would happen before the 2024 election.

The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact seeks to guarantee that the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia wins the presidency.

When there are enough states pledging their popular votes to meet the 270 Electoral College vote threshold, all the votes in those states will be added up to a national count that determines the winner of the election. The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact says that will give each vote equal weight regardless of where a voter lives.

 

[acptulsa]

Paper tiger. Only blue states will sign on, and it'll make no difference whatsoever.

 

[Anti Federalist]

Paper tiger. Only blue states will sign on, and it'll make no difference whatsoever.

Why worry about what will never happen...that's good.

They should put that on our money.

 

[jmdrake]

It's a gimmick anyway. Some states already award electoral votes by congressional district. So there's no reason they can't do that right now anyway. Why doesn't California do this? They'd have to give Orange County to the Republican candidate.

 

[Swordsmyth]

It's an unconstitutional agreement between states, it will never happen and if it does it will be struck down.

 

[Voluntarist]

It's a gimmick anyway. Some states already award electoral votes by congressional district. So there's no reason they can't do that right now anyway.

Maine and Nebraska are the only two states that split their electoral votes like that - and now Maine is backing out of that arrangement for the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. If every state had followed the split vote paradigm, Romney would have beat Obama in 2012 (despite losing the popular vote).

Why doesn't California do this? They'd have to give Orange County to the Republican candidate.

Biden won the popular vote in OC in 2020; so it's not a sure thing (particularly if the GOP is running a MAGA candidate). The more RINO a candidate is, the more likely they'd carry OC though.

And yeah, it's unconstitutional. The Compact Clause (Article 1, Section 10, Clause 3) provides that “No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, ... enter into Any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power.”

 

[GlennwaldSnowdenAssanged]

Popular vote would have had many executed for non mask compliance or refusal to be vaccinated.