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#notmypresident, contact your government, december 19, electoral votes, find your representative, national popular vote, popular vote bill
There’s something called the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC). States that pass this bill agree to allocate their electoral votes to the winner of the popular vote. For some reason it doesn’t take effect until it’s enacted by enough states to collectively represent at least 270 electoral votes – its not a state-by-state thing. Once enough states enact the bill, my vote will count as much as someone in Florida or Pennsylvania. Had enough states managed to enact this bill already, the blathering orange face would still be just another bigot in a power suit. No oval office for him.
There’s a lot of confusing interpretations going around right now about the NPVIC. This morning my heart nearly burst when I read that if four states adopt this compact, the election goes to Clinton.
Electoral votes are not cast until December 19th.
According to The Hill:
So far, 11 states possessing 165 electoral votes have enacted the National Popular Vote bill into law.
If state legislatures in, say, PA, AZ, MI and MO (57 electoral votes) convene before December 19th and manage to pass the NPV bill into law, that brings the bill up to 223 votes represented – not enough to enact the bill UNLESS a few more states work the same miracle. If this were a state-by-state thing, the 57 electoral votes in the above 4 states currently presumed to be Trumps would go to Clinton, winner of the popular vote.
Is it too late for 2016? I like to think that nothing’s over until it’s over, and electoral votes are not cast until December 19th. Technically, the state legislatures could convene and pass this bill before December 19th, right? Or is my sleep-deprived brain floating off into la la land. A few major media outlets have written about this bill, but I’m not finding anything putting it in context of December 19th. Does that mean it’s impossible? Am I chewing on false hope? I don’t know enough about enacting a bill to know.
I do know that people are protesting and hash tagging #notmypresident. I do know that while it’s natural to be disappointed or even angry by the results of an election, people should not feel afraid for themselves and the people they care about.
If you want to do something that might actually potentially make a difference, even if the odds are slimmer than the crack of light beneath the closet door I’m tempted to lock myself in for the next 4 years, this is that something. Maybe. I don’t know if it’s too late for 2016, but elections are too close to be decided fairly by anything other than the popular vote. If your state hasn’t enacted this bill yet, get in touch with your state representatives and push push push. Find your representative. Contact your elected officials.
The following states have enacted the compact:
Maryland
New Jersey
Illinois
Hawaii
Washington
Massachusetts
District of Columbia
Vermont
California
Rhode Island
New York
I think the chances of this passing are extremely slim, and I’m a very optimistic person. But it’s worth a shot. I think at this point we have to resign ourselves to fours years of speaking out, standing up to injustice, and fighting an administration that will destroy the environment even further. This is no time to sit back and be complacent. And shouldn’t we all be doing this all of the time, not just when our choice didn’t win? I’m guilty as charged. Speaking out takes time and energy. But we’re hypocrites if we stay silent.
Very true and well said. Wishful thinking won’t help, but it did lift the weight of what’s to come for a few hours.
You’re right about standing up and speaking out regardless of who’s in power. We will have to do so consistently over the next four years. That’s certain. I feel like I’m suiting up for a messy journey. My lovely nephews are in their early 20’s and think signing an online petition and posting it on Facebook qualifies as activism. I told them to get some comfortable shoes. The first step is showing up.
NPV interstate compact is a change that can be achieved
by action of the individual state legislatures.
The lawmakers of each state can vote
to direct the Electors from their own state
to vote for whichever Presidential slate
wins the most votes nation-wide.
This is a way of changing to popular election
of the President and Vice President
without changing anything about the Electoral College
at the national level.
However, small states would lose the extra influence
they now have in selecting the next Pres. & VP.
Another change beginning with the states
and which would not require changing the U.S. Constitution
would be for each state
(following the examples already established by Maine and Nebraska)
of DIVIDING THEIR ELECTORS
according to how the voters of their own state voted.
The practice of winner-takes-all Electoral Votes
in each state is NOT part of the Constitution.
One Presidential Vote for each Congressional District
plus two extra Presidential Votes for the state-wide winning slate
could be achieved either by states acting on their own
or by a Constitutional amendment.
This reform would not change how the voters vote:
They would still mark their ballots
for President and Vice President as before.
But the same votes would be counted
within each Congressional District
in addition to being counted for the whole state.
The winning slate in each Congressional District
would assign one Presidential Vote.
And the state-wide winning slate
would assign two additional Presidential Votes.
This maintains the current larger role for small states
in selecting the President and Vice President.
And it would replace swing states with swing districts.
These Congressional Districts should also become more fair
by eliminating gerrymandering.
Read more: http://www.tc.umn.edu/~parkx032/PRES-VOT.html
This information is very helpful in understanding the current state of things and how they might change. The challenge seems to be in making voters care about reform beyond the week following an election. Thank you for this.