By Matthew Beil, Staff Writer
While the nation watched the inauguration of President Obama, a stone’s throw away in Virginia, the Republicans, who controlled a majority of the state’s House of Representatives, passed a bill that would allow their party an advantage in the next presidential election. The bill would change the electoral districts in the state, creating one majority black district but dispersing the black vote in other places. This change would also be coupled with a change in how the state would award its Electoral College votes.
This new bill would award Electoral College votes by congressional district, not the winner takes all system already in place in every state except Maine and Nebraska. This bill is not alone in its implementation. Republicans are trying to push for changes in three other key states: Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan. The Republicans want these states to change to the system Maine and Nebraska use, which is the congressional districting method. Each congressional district would give their electoral vote to the candidate that won their district. This system, while seeming to be fair, would give the Republicans a very clear advantage in those states. Cities which have a more liberal lean to them more often than not are encompassed by one district. These districts with higher numbers of people are vastly outnumbered by districts with less people; this means that in many swing states where cities bring in the liberal vote, they could only cast on electoral ballot for their chosen candidate. Since many cities hold more population than the rest of the state, it would completely bypass the popular vote.
The system in place in Maine and Nebraska gives two electoral votes to whichever candidate wins the popular vote in the state. The bill in Virginia, however, takes these two electoral votes and instead of awarding those to whoever won the popular vote, gives them to the candidate that won a majority of the congressional districts.
The Virginia Bill, however, is expected to fail meeting opposition from the Republican governor of Virginia and several key Republican senators in the state legislature. This opposition is believed to spell the end for this bill. However, what do students who live in states think about these proposed changes to the Electoral College system?
Cody Jean-Baphste, a junior, stated when asked about the Republican plan to try and rework the way the Electoral College works in his home state of Michigan. He said, “Personally, I would oppose this because I like the current system better as it is much fairer than the proposed new system.”
Shawnee Arnett, a sophomore, who lived and has family in the commonwealth of Virginia said, “Gerrymandering, Gerrymandering, Gerrymandering! Democrats and Republicans yelling at each other, get along!”
Even if this change took place before the 2012 election, it would not have made a difference. That, however, is not the point. What Americans need to watch for is any type of voter fraud, suppression, or action that prevents the majority will from coming forth in elections.
