Should your mailing address determine the value of your presidential vote?
The 2021 constitutionally required, fair, redistricting process completely changed the value of their presidential vote. Surprise!
A Republican-leaning voter switched from CD2 to CD1 had her vote for president essentially made worthless, now that she must cast it in District 1.
A Democratic-leaning voter switched from CD1 to District 2 had his presidential vote lose all value.
These voters – really, all voters – are not as important as their addresses. Across the country, state winner take all methods silence votes for our one national office, the presidency, just because the voter is in that state’s political minority.
The National Popular Vote bill guarantees that every vote will be equal and politically relevant, regardless of your address, and that there will be no more second place winners – and without a single change to the constitution or Electoral College.
States will continue to run and certify their presidential elections. All the states votes will be totaled, and the candidate winning the most votes nationally wins, just like every other elected office.
California and New York won’t dominate. Ignoring the fact that California has more registered Republicans than any other state, 88% of Americans don’t live in California. It’s mathematically impossible for 12% to out-vote 88%.
Even if you include New York, it would be impossible for 18% to control a presidential election under a national popular vote. In addition, not only are two of the four biggest states, Florida and Texas, red but Republicans won the national popular vote in the 2022 midterms.
Big cities won’t dominate, either. The five biggest cities represent 5.8% of the country’s population, per the census. The ten biggest cities represent only 8% of the population.
Let the people pick the president. All the people. Pass LD1578.
Lori Calderone
Dover-Foxcroft
Opinion pieces reflect the views of the individual author, and do not reflect the views of the Daily Bulldog, Mt. Blue TV, or Central Maine Media Alliance. Publication of an opinion piece does not equate to endorsement of the content of the piece.
