Nebraska and Maine are the only states that let the voters of each U.S. House district choose their own presidential elector. In 2008, one of Nebraska’s U.S. House districts chose a Democratic elector, so the electoral college vote in 2008 for Nebraska was split between Barack Obama (who got one vote) and John McCain (who got two electors from each of the other two districts, plus the two at-large electors).
This newspaper story predicts that the Nebraska legislature may abolish that system, and make the state winner-take-all. The Nebraska legislature convenes on January 5 and there is no such bill yet. A similar bill was introduced in 2009, but it didn’t pass. Thanks to PoliticalWire for the link. Although Nebraska’s legislature is elected on a non-partisan basis, a large majority of the state legislators are registered Republicans.
A survey of 800 Nebraska voters conducted on December 22-23, 2008 showed 74% overall support for a national popular vote for President.
In a follow-up question presenting a three-way choice among various methods of awarding Nebraska’s electoral votes,
* 60% favored a national popular vote;
* 28% favored Nebraska’s current system of awarding its electoral votes by congressional district; and
* 13% favored the statewide winner-take-all system (i.e., awarding all of Nebraska’s electoral votes to the candidate who receives the most votes statewide).
When presented with the basic question of a national popular vote, support for a national popular vote was, by political affiliation, 79% among Democrats, 70% among Republicans, and 75% among Others.
By congressional district, support for a national popular vote was 77% in the First congressional district, 68% in the Second district; and 77% in the Third District. As you know, the Second district voted for Obama in November 2008, and Obama received one electoral vote by virtue of carrying the Second district.
By age, support for a national popular vote was 64% among 18-29 year olds, 72% among 30-45 year olds, 73% among 46-65 year olds, and 79% for those older than 65.
By gender, support for a national popular vote was 82% among women and 66% among men.
http://nationalpopularvote.com/pages/polls.php#NE_2008DEC
Uniform definition of Elector in ALL of the U.S.A.
P.R. – all legislative bodies
Nonpartisan App.V. for electing all elected executive officers and all judges — even SCOTUS — to get rid of the appointed party hack robot MORONS.
Count those election related amdts starting with the 12th Amdt.
The CRISIS in the U.S.A. is N-O-W.
See the meeting of the 112th Gerrymander Congress today.
ELECTORAL REFORM CALIFORNIA.com
A Special Project of the People’s Advocate
3407 Arden Way, Sacramento, CA 95825
916-482-6175
PRESS ADVISORY
Contact: Tony Andrade,
ProjectManager 916-230-2123
tony95683@netzero.net
Website: ElectoralReformCalifornia.com
SUBJECT: Electoral College Reform Initiative filing for Title and Summary
Ted Costa, Chairman of the People’s Advocate, on Dec 7, 2010, filed with the Attorney General Jerry Brown a statewide initiative titled “Electoral College Reform Act:
Currently, California has a “winner take all” system that
selects delegates to the Electoral College.
Under the proposed change voters in each Congressional District will elect a local elector.
Two electors will be selected at-large in California.
Why the Electoral College Reform is a really good idea!
$100,000,000 will be spent in California in media purchases in the Presidential campaigns.
Presidential candidates will be forced to come to California. California is largely taken for granted by Presidential candidates because of the “winner take all” system of awarding electoral votes. In recent elections, Presidential candidates have ignored voters in California and have spent more time and money trying to win votes in smaller states with a few electoral votes.
Independent votes will matter. Further, a “winner take all” system impedes credible third party or independent candidacies for President.
Rural voters will have a voice
Mega urban areas will not dominate the process. Los Angeles County voters determines whom California votes for President.
California will reflect its political demography. Our “winner take all” system of awarding electoral votes does not reflect the vast diversity of our state, the regional differences of our citizenry, and the unique problems face by Californians.
Returns the power of the vote back to the people and not the special interest ruling elite.
Returns back to the 1792 system of selecting electors.
George Washington was elected by Congressional District Electors.
Maine and Nebraska do not have the “winner take all” system awarding electoral votes.
It reinforces our founding fathers concept of representative government.
Grass roots involvement in the Presidential election.
Edward J. “Ted” Costa, who describes himself as “a populist conservative”, is a board member and chief executive officer of the People’s Advocate, a California-based advocacy group. Costa is also in charge of People’s Advocate’s political action committee (PAPAC). Costa filed the successful 2003 Governor Recall petition and was the proponent against then-Governor Gray Davis. Costa collected over 2 million signatures. The People’s Advocate is a California-based political watchdog and anti-tax organization formed by Paul Gann in 1974. The group worked to help pass California’s Proposition 13, which capped property taxes at 1% of the property’s cash value. In 1979, it helped pass the Gann Spending Limit, which limits state spending increases to inflation and population increase, and requires the State to return surplus taxes back to the people. In 1986, it helped pass an initiative making English the state’s official language.
Senator Ray Haynes is the author of the
Electoral College Reform A
He introduced the concept in legislation in 2001
when he was the State Senator from Temecula.
END
# 3 More EVIL INSANE gerrymander stuff —
Half the votes in half the gerrymander areas = about 25 percent ANTI-Democracy minority rule.
ABOLISH the timebomb Electoral College — regardless of suicidal E.C. fanatics — who apparently want to have a Civil WAR II.
See the 620,000 DEAD Americans in 1861-1865 due to the minority rule election of Prez Lincoln in 1860 — something that the MORONS at PBS and in the gerrymander Congress never seem to bring up.