Nebraska and Maine are the only states in which each U.S. House district elects its own presidential elector. In November 2008, Barack Obama won one electoral vote from Nebraska, because he carried the 2nd district, centered on Omaha. Ever since, bills have been introduced in the Nebraska legislature to reimpose the old winner-take-all system for presidential electors, but they have not yet passed. Currently, LB 21 is stuck in the Government Committee.

This story shows that a Democratic member of the legislature had recently applied for a seat on the Revenue Committee, but then he realized, if he got it, he would be leaving the Government Committee (Nebraska Senators can only serve on one committee). The Government Committee is currently tied between members who support the current district system for presidential electors, and those who support LB 21, the bill to create winner-take-all. When the Democratic Senator realized that if he shifted committees, that would allow appointment of a new member who might support LB 21, the Democratic Senator withdrew his request to transfer committees. So, for the moment, LB 21 still can’t pass.

Nebraska’s legislature is officially non-partisan, but this incident shows that in reality, the behavior of Nebraska legislators is just as partisan as if the law provided for partisan elections for the legislature. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.