Colorado Senate Rejects Electoral College
The Colorado state senate has become the first legislative body to reflect the popular will by spurning the electoral college. This could be the beginning of the end for the widely disliked way we elect our President.
An ingenious plan has been devised to skirt the college without actually repealing it. The plan can take effect when enough states join a contract to act together. They will then each select as their slate of electors the group who plan to vote for the candidate that won the most votes nationwide.
This plan was unveiled this winter. Now it has taken its first step. It is also under consideration in Missouri and Illinois and was endorsed by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Iowa is surrounded by activity.
The electoral college undermines democracy. Andrew Gumbel even reveals how its creation was part of the accomodation to slavery in his book Steal This Vote.
Using the popular vote should
– boost turnout by counting every vote equally;
– restore some faith in our system by making it more direct, and
– provide at least one federal election not subject to gerrymandering.
What Iowa legislators will introduce this plan next January?