25 of Michigan’s 38 state Senators are sponsoring the National Popular Vote bill, including 15 Republicans and 10 Democrats.
- CBS TV news story on recent Senate and House hearings “Lawmakers look to increase Michigan influence in presidential elections“
- Detroit News Editorial “Michigan should pass National Popular Vote.”
The National Popular Vote bill would guarantee the Presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
3 things to do:
- With most state legislators facing their voters on November 6, this would be an especially good time to use our convenient email system to ask your state legislators to sponsor National Popular Vote when the legislature comes back in session.
- Write a letter to the editor to a newspaper
- The National Popular Vote organization employs local lobbyists and sends its own traveling representatives around the country to help pass the bill. Please support these efforts by donating.
 <Vermont state Senator Christopher Pearson testifies at Michigan House hearing on National Popular Vote.
A national popular vote for President is an achievable goal that can be in place in time for the 2020 election. The bill has already been enacted into law in 12 states possessing 172 electoral votes (CA, CT, DC, HI, IL, MA, MD, NJ, NY, RI, VT, WA). It will take effect when enacted by additional states having 98 electoral votes. The bill has previously passed one chamber in 11 states with 89 electoral votes (AR, AZ, CO, DE, ME, MI, NC, NM, NV, OK, OR). A total of 3,155 state legislators have endorsed it.
It does not take an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to change state winner-take-all laws. State winner-take-all laws were enacted by state legislatures using their authority under Article II of the U.S. Constitution (and may be changed in the same way):
“Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors….”
The winner-take-all method of awarding electoral votes was used by only three states in the nation’s first presidential election in 1789 (and repealed by all three by 1800). It was never debated at the Constitutional Convention, and never mentioned in the Federalist Papers. It did not become predominant until 1880 — almost a century after the U.S. Constitution was written.
Under the National Popular Vote bill, the national popular vote winner will receive all the electoral votes from the enacting states. The bill will take effect when enacted by states possessing a majority of the electoral votes — enough to elect a President (270 of 538). Then, when the Electoral College meets in mid-December, the national popular vote winner will become President because the enacting states will represent at least 270 electoral votes. Thus, the Electoral College will represent the will of the voters in all 50 states (and DC).
Here are some other things you might do to help make sure that the President elected in 2020 is the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and DC.
Thank you. Dr. John R. Koza, Chair |
The Most Revolutionary Act 