THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF SOUTHEASTERN CT

One Person/One Vote? That is the Question

Judy Dolphin, LWV SECT

            We have just elected a new U.S. president, but who are we?  Instead of a simple majority of all voters, at least 270 electors were required to make the decision. That didn’t happen officially until 40 days after the election. Throughout the long campaign, candidates and the media focused on swing states, such as Pennsylvania and Ohio, where electoral votes were in question and numerous enough to help the candidate reach the magic goal of 270 out of 538. Many other states, like Connecticut, saw little of the candidates.

            Although this system is antiquated and confusing, the Electoral College system is specified in the U.S. Constitution. The founding fathers were attempting to ensure that small states play a meaningful part in the election of the president and that each state has the power over the individual voter, a core principal of federalism.

            Over the years, many efforts have been made to abolish or reform the Electoral College. These efforts to amend the U.S. Constitution have failed, even though most citizens believe in the premise of one person/one vote.

            Entering the scene around the country is a proposed method to achieve the same result as direct election of the president by using the Electoral College to accomplish the goal. The method is called the National Popular Vote Compact or NPV. Under NPV, all of a state’s electoral votes are awarded to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

            On one hand, NPV provides that the candidate with the highest number of votes nationally wins the election. It does so without the cumbersome, lengthy process required to amend the U.S. Constitution. On the other hand, Connecticut has seven electoral votes and would be required to direct them toward the national, popular vote-getter. Those votes could well be awarded to the candidate who was unsuccessful in Connecticut.

            NPV takes effect only after identical legislation is passed by enough states to reach the required majority of electoral votes (270).  The states enter into a legal compact or contract with each other.  As of September 2008, four states – Maryland, New Jersey, Hawaii and Illinois – have passed necessary legislation to activate the NPV Compact. To date, this represents 50 of the 270 electoral votes required to activate the compact. Bills have been introduced in another 15 states.  If the 11 largest states enact the compact, the critical number of 270 electoral votes would be reached.

            Across the country, local chapters of the League of Women Voters are studying the pros and cons of the NPV Compact proposal and plan to reach consensus this spring.  Since 1970, the League of Women Voters has been on record to abolish the Electoral College.  In the meantime, League members continue to strive to support a way to directly elect the president and vice president.  NPV may be a way to do that – or not.