National Popular Vote Interstate Compact

Started by platatomi, July 10, 2015, 02:26:40 PM

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platatomi

I don't believe most people are aware of this, but there is currently a sincere effort to effectively change the method of election of the President of the United States to that of a national popular vote, without a constitutional amendment.

It's called the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, and there are currently 10 states(think blue) and DC that have signed on, representing 165 electoral votes. The compact basically requires that, once in effect, all participating states will award their electoral votes to the candidate that wins the national popular vote, regardless of their performance in each state. The compact includes a threshold of 270 electoral votes that must be accounted for in participating states before the program will become effective.


http://www.nationalpopularvote.com/


This is really exciting but I have some questions.

1.     The website says that the candidate who wins the "most popular votes" nationally will be elected president. I assume that means that a majority is not required to be elected president? Plurality wins? I think that is good, it would deal a blow to the suffocating two-party system. It would also eliminate the possibility of the House getting to decide who is president, with all their gerrymandered goodness.

2.     Why have a 270 electoral vote threshold? I know this is way out there, but why isn't the compact put into force immediately in every state that signs on? Think about it. Compact states currently have 165 electoral votes, that should be enough to swing most elections in the way of the correct candidate. And if not, who cares because there would be no way the winner of the national popular vote couldn't win in the electoral college to start with.


I think this is a big deal and needs all the publicity it can get. A vast majority of Americans support eliminating the electoral college and electing the President in the logical way.

What do you guys think?