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Do you remember Nov. 9, 2016? That’s the day we learned that the presidential candidate who received almost 3 million votes more than her opponent actually lost the election because of the way the Electoral College works.
In all but two states (Maine being one of them!), the candidate with the most votes in each state receives all of that state’s electoral votes. Many states are reliably “red” or “blue,” so the results in the so-called “swing” states determine the eventual winner, regardless of who received the most popular votes overall.
That could happen again in 2024, but it doesn’t have to. The National Popular Vote (NPV) Interstate Compact is an alternative. Sixteen states plus Washington, D.C. have already agreed that all of their electoral votes will go to the candidate who wins the national popular vote. They represent a total of 205 electoral votes, just 75 short of the 270 needed for the compact to go into effect. This NPV agreement supports the democratic process and recognizes the worth and dignity of every voter, regardless of where they live.
On Jan. 8, the Maine state Legislature is holding a public hearing on LD 1578, which would add Maine to the national agreement. Now is the time to encourage your state representative and state senator to support LD 1578. Go to legislature.maine.gov to learn how to contact them.
Rick Davis
Belfast
