Mass. may join effort to bypass Electoral College

The state Legislature is poised to give final approval this week to a new law intended to bypass the Electoral College system and ensure that the winner of the presidential election is determined by the national popular vote.

Both the House and Senate have approved the National Popular Vote bill. Final enactment votes are needed in both chambers, however, before the bill goes to the governor's desk, the Globe reported last week.

Governor Deval Patrick's press office didn't immediately return a message this morning seeking comment on whether he would sign the bill, if it makes its way to his desk. Under the proposed law, all 12 of the state's electoral votes would be awarded to the candidate who receives the most votes nationally.

Supporters are waging a state-by-state campaign to try to get such bills enacted. Once states possessing a majority of the electoral votes (or 270 of 538) have enacted the laws, the candidate winning the most votes nationally would be assured a majority of the Electoral College votes, no matter how the other states vote and how their electoral votes are distributed.

Illinois, New Jersey, Hawaii, Maryland, and Washington have already adopted the legislation, according to the National Popular Vote campaign's website.

Supporters of the change say that the current Electoral College system is confusing and causes candidates to focus unduly on a handful of battleground states.

ziggy wrote:So what about proportional representation- "one man one vote"?

ziggy wrote:So what about proportional representation- "one man one vote"?

ziggy wrote:So what about proportional representation- "one man one vote"?

Any half blind idiot ought to recognize the damage the popular selection of senators, which the 17th amendment allows, has done. They have become nothing more than two bit politicans bowing to the whims of the public, just as the house now does.

The same is true regarding the presidency. If you want to loose what representation you have, let the president be decided by national popular vote. You'll never ever see or hear of a candidate in West Virginia again.

The Electoral College is the last bastion of states rights that exist. I’m not surprised that liberals want to replace it.

So it's not good for 2 bit politicians running for U.S. Senate to bow to the whims of the public, but we want 2 bit politicians running for President to come to West Virginia and bow to the whims of the WV public? Why?

ohio county wrote:

So it's not good for 2 bit politicians running for U.S. Senate to bow to the whims of the public, but we want 2 bit politicians running for President to come to West Virginia and bow to the whims of the WV public? Why?

So you're suggesting we give the bastards yet another reason to ignore us?

ziggy wrote:

Any half blind idiot ought to recognize the damage the popular selection of senators, which the 17th amendment allows, has done. They have become nothing more than two bit politicans bowing to the whims of the public, just as the house now does.

The same is true regarding the presidency. If you want to loose what representation you have, let the president be decided by national popular vote. You'll never ever see or hear of a candidate in West Virginia again.

So it's not good for 2 bit politicians running for U.S. Senate to bow to the whims of the public, but we want 2 bit politicians running for President to come to West Virginia and bow to the whims of the WV public? Why?

ziggy wrote:

The Electoral College is the last bastion of states rights that exist. I’m not surprised that liberals want to replace it.

When "states rights" trumps people rights, it's time to replace it.

Cato wrote:

ziggy wrote:

Any half blind idiot ought to recognize the damage the popular selection of senators, which the 17th amendment allows, has done. They have become nothing more than two bit politicans bowing to the whims of the public, just as the house now does.

The same is true regarding the presidency. If you want to loose what representation you have, let the president be decided by national popular vote. You'll never ever see or hear of a candidate in West Virginia again.

So it's not good for 2 bit politicians running for U.S. Senate to bow to the whims of the public, but we want 2 bit politicians running for President to come to West Virginia and bow to the whims of the WV public? Why?

I would think you would want access to your leaders and want them to consider you views. That won't happen if all the president has to do is buy votes from the most populated areas of the country.

ohio county wrote:I support Massachusetts' right to ignore it's likely vote for any democrat for President and send all it's electoral vote to the winner of the popular vote nationally.