The Maryland Senate has decided to do an end run around the U.S. Electoral College to help make sure that a candidate who wins the popular vote for president also wins the White House.
After extended debate off and on over three days, the Senate voted 29 – 17 on Wednesday to have Maryland join a compact with other states, pledging that it would have its presidential electors vote for the winner of the national popular vote.
This unusual agreement among the states is being promoted by a national movement arising out of the 2000 election. Vice President Al Gore got 500,000 more votes than Texas Gov. George Bush but lost in the Electoral College when Florida?s electoral votes were given to Bush.
“We don?t want a nightmare repeat of 2000,” said Sen. Jamie Raskin, D-Montgomery, lead sponsor of the legislation (SB 634).
All 14 Republicans were opposed to the measure, but the fight against it was led by Raskin?s fellow Democratic freshman from Montgomery County, Sen. Mike Lenett.
Lenett said this attempt to undermine the Electoral College deserved more study before it was implemented. He lectured the Senate on the origins of the electoral system, which gives smaller states greater weight by counting their two senators plus all U.S. representatives in determining electoral votes.
“What this might do is just switch the battleground” rather than have every vote count equally, Lenett said. Rather than swing states, such as Ohio and Florida, getting more attention from presidential candidates, the president could be elected by people from large cities.
“We?re just switching whose vote counts a little bit more,” Lenett said.
“It?s absurd that Wyoming has more relevance than the state of California” in electing the president, said Sen. Roy Dyson, D-St. Mary?s, the floor leader for the bill. He said it has “tremendous bipartisan support” across the country.
Sen. Andrew Harris, R-Baltimore County, said, “If you think 2000 was bad in one state, imagine court challenges in all 50 states,” because under the bill, every single vote in every state would count toward a national majority.
If the bill is passed by the House, Maryland would be the first state to approve joining the compact of states.
