District residents’ votes in presidential elections could be pooled with votes across the country as candidates race to win the national popular vote, thanks to a D.C. Council vote Tuesday.
The city is now set to become the sixth jurisdiction to join the national popular vote pact, an agreement among districts to allocate their electoral votes in presidential elections to the winner of the national popular vote. The goal is to circumvent the Electoral College and allow the nation’s voters to elect their president directly without altering the Constitution. The pact goes into effect when 270 electoral votes have been cumulatively committed, the number needed for a presidential candidate to win.
If the council’s bill becomes law and D.C. commits its three electoral votes, there will 76 pledged to the pact. Maryland (10 votes) became the first state to join in 2007. Similar legislation has been introduced in Virginia, but has not gained traction in the presidential battleground state that would see its influence wane if presidential candidates become more concerned with winning the popular vote rather than certain states.
And that’s exactly the point, said Ward 3 Councilwoman Mary Cheh who sponsored the bill.
“Regardless of where a voter casts his or her ballot, it should count equally toward electing the president,” Cheh said. “Given the District’s history of disenfranchisement in national politics, I am pleased that we could pass legislation that would ensure that District voters have their voice heard.”
But if the national popular vote favors a Republican candidate, then the District would send Republican electors to the college, even if D.C. voters have backed a Democratic candidate.
“Democrats in D.C. who vote for a Democratic candidate want to have D.C. electors follow their vote,” said Dorothy Brizill of D.C. Watch. “They’re not going to be happy to be helping elect a Republican.”
Not so, said the executive director of Maryland-based Fair Vote, which backs the national popular vote pact. Richie pointed to a poll sponsored by the nonprofit National Popular Vote Inc. that showed 76 percent of District voters favoring the pact.
“Right now, D.C. votes are meaningless,” Rob Richie said. “No candidate thinks about D.C., but with the national popular vote, every vote will be equal and so will candidates’ attention to voters.”
