National Popular Vote: Fast-Track Study

League of Women Voters^®
of Schenectady County

Governmental & Political

National Popular Vote Compact: A Fast-Track Study.

Submitted by Judy Middelkoop
Delegates at the LWVUS June 2008 Convention in Portland adopted a fast-track study of the National Popular Vote (NPV) Compact. Local leagues are urged to save a date in January or February 2009 for a consensus meeting. The NPV compact would guarantee the Presidency to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes. Under the National Popular Vote bill, all of the state's electoral votes would be awarded to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The bill would take effect only when enacted, in identical form, by states possessing a majority of the electoral votes--that is, enough electoral votes to elect a President + meaning 270 of 538. This bill would not violate the League's position to abolish the Electoral College. Statement of Position on Selection of the President, as Announced by National Board, January 1970, Revised March 1982 and Updated June 2004: The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that the direct-popular-vote method for electing the President and Vice-President is essential to representative government. The League of Women Voters believes, therefore, that the Electoral College should be abolished. The League also supports uniform voting qualifications and procedures for presidential elections. The League supports changes in the presidential election system + from the candidate selection process to the general election. We support efforts to provide voters with sufficient information about candidates and their positions, public policy issues and the selection process itself. The League supports action to ensure that the media, political parties, candidates, and all levels of government achieve these goals and provide that information. A major player in advocating for the NPV is Rep. Christopher Pearson of the Vermont House who attended the NPV caucus meetings at the National Convention. He is a very knowledgeable and dynamic speaker and will be the guest speaker at our September 10th lunch at the Stockade Inn so please mark your calendar and join us for this very informative luncheon! Connie Young and I will be co-chairing our league's NPV committee; we have agreed to work with the Rensselear, Saratoga, and Albany leagues. Connie Young and Judy Middelkoop will be co-chairing our league's NPV committee; we have agreed to work with the Rensselear, Saratoga, and Albany leagues. Information on the Electoral College as well as the NPV is available at http://www.nationalpopularvote.com and under election reform on the Common Cause home page http://www.commoncause.org . We are just starting up the NPV Committee so we don't have a schedule of meetings, but if you are interested in the NPV study and joining us on the committee, please contact Connie Young at 393-7061 or Judy Middelkoop at 382-7616. Please join us for this very timely and interesting study! Lori Dawson, LWV of Saratoga County, was instrumental in pursuing the NPV compact study both at the State and National levels; she has a lot of the necessary materials and she has written the consensus questions. On Saturday September 20th Lori will be making a presentation on the NPV at the East Greenbush Community Library at 10:00 AM. Books relevant to electing the president, and LWV memorabilia on display.

Comments, suggestions, questions? Contact our webmaster. Last revised: September 13, 2008 12:51 PDT.