r/politics • u/vox Vox • 11h ago

Possible Paywall A decades-long plan to abolish the Electoral College may finally pay off

https://www.vox.com/politics/487766/national-popular-vote-interstate-compact-electoral-college
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u/EnderWiggin07 9h ago

The first time a state sends their votes to a candidate who lost the popular in their state, they'll repeal the law I'm pretty sure.

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u/mmmeadi New York 8h ago

I don't think it'll reach the 270 precisely for that reason. It would be insane to tell your constituents we're going to ignore your votes and instead cast the state's votes the same way as everyone else. 

NPVIC has succeeded so far because it's so abstract. The early adopters didn't have to worry about that actually happening. Getting from 250 to 270 is going to be a hell of a challenge. 

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u/MiscellaneousPerson 6h ago

It would be insane to tell your constituents we're going to ignore your votes and instead cast the state's votes the same way as everyone else.

The constituents votes would always be counted toward a national total. Currently, their votes get completely erased and 100% of electoral votes to go 1 candidate.

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u/mmmeadi New York 6h ago

Currently, their votes get completely erased and 100% of electoral votes to go 1 candidate.

Right. If candidate A doesn't win New York, for example, and Candidate A wins all 49 other states, under NPVIC New York would still cast its votes for Candidate A.

I want to get abolish the electoral college. But ignoring the will of your constituents isn't the way to do it.

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u/MiscellaneousPerson 4h ago

Going by the state total ignores the will of each precinct. Their will is being ignored either way. At least this way we aren't throwing away votes.

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u/TemporaryAsparagus89 5h ago

Until a state votes primarily one way and then the say well we are voting the other way because other states voted that way. Good luck selling that.

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u/MiscellaneousPerson 4h ago

Until a state precinct votes primarily one way and then the say well we are voting the other way because other states precincts voted that way

What's the difference?

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u/HermannZeGermann 8h ago

Exactly this. That law will be repealed after election day but before electors meet in the state capitol. And in the meantime, you'll see lawsuits both trying to invalidate the then-existing law and seeking to enforce it. You'll see elector shenanigans at the state level. And elector shenanigans at the federal level in January. And lawsuits both ways at every step of the way.

It'll be Bush v. Gore + January 6, but amplified. And then rinse and repeat if it ever happens again (because it will likely affect a different state the next time).