California may cast a critical vote on AB 459 as soon as tomorrow and Dr. John Koza couldn’t be happier. This isn’t his first foray into matters of the state. He has succeeded in using the government as a tool to secure his fortunes, and he believes he will win on more serious matters....
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In a shocking twist, ex-Senator Fred Thompson has joined the effort to abolish the Electoral College. He claims that the National Popular Vote movement is “totally consistent with our constitutional principles.” I like Thompson. I voted for him in the 2008 presidential primaries. But his endorsement of NPV simply cannot be reconciled with the...
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Perhaps you wouldn’t expect Texas to join an effort to eliminate the Electoral College. In fact, you may find such an idea to be ludicrous and a bit far-fetched. Unfortunately, a California-based group is working hard to prove you wrong. Indeed, its proponents are in the state today, making a pitch to the legislature’s...
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Vermont is one gubernatorial signature away from joining an effort to ditch the Electoral College. The Vermont legislature gave final approval to the National Popular Vote plan last week. (More details regarding the mechanics of the legislation can be found here.) As a legislator, Governor Shumlin once sponsored the bill, so he is expected...
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If I were a Republican from California, it would be tempting to dislike the Electoral College. And it would be tempting to join the handful of Republican leaders who advocate passage of the recently proposed National Popular Vote plan, pending in the California Assembly as AB 459. Their claims that NPV will benefit conservatives...
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The National Popular Vote interstate compact would wipe away state lines and turn the entire nation into one giant “single-member district” for presidential elections. This, according to computer scientist and NPV inventor John Koza, will make “every voter equal.” That is the title of Koza’s self-published book and the lead slogan employed in support...
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Deep thinking and deliberation are getting in the way of the National Popular Vote campaign in Oregon (HB 3517). This is my conclusion after stopping briefly in Salem yesterday and talking with a few legislators and several legislative staff. It was all true to a pattern that I’ve seen in my cross-country travels. NPV’s...
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Traveling around the country defending federalism and the Electoral College, I have heard an amazing array of different–sometimes contradictory–claims made by National Popular Vote (NPV) advocates. Some of this is reasonable, since different NPV backers have different complaints about the current system and very different explanations of how NPV would work. Other contradictions appear...
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Last week I visited Juneau to talk with state legislators about National Popular Vote. NPV’s anti-Electoral College legislation (SB 39) has moved through two of their Senate committees in as many months. Because NPV says different things to different people, it’s always fascinating to pick up the echoes of their latest sales pitch. This was...
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On Friday, a Connecticut legislative committee held a hearing on the NPV proposal. The hearing was lengthy, and the committee heard testimony from close to a dozen people. I was able to make it to Hartford for the day and was glad for the opportunity to talk to the committee about the dangers of...
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NPV continues to lobby hard for its legislation in many states across the country. Some legislative updates appear below. Please keep in mind that this is a constantly evolving situation—legislation can move quickly! We will do our best to post updates, but links to each bill are included so you can also keep up...
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While the November election was a setback for National Popular Vote, the San Fransisco-based lobbying organization out to manipulate the Electoral College in a way that would eliminate its benefits, they are still at it. This time, the group has hired lobbyists in South Dakota to push Senate Bill 138. The measure would sign...
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