Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) will introduce legislation when the Senate comes into session later today that would eliminate the Electoral College and determine the winner of presidential elections by the outcome of the popular vote.
Hillary Clinton currently leads the popular vote by nearly a million votes (990,758). By the time all the ballots are counted, the New York Times estimates that Clinton may win the popular vote by more than two million votes and more than 1.5 percentage points. Donald Trump will become the fifth President in U.S. history to lose the popular vote and still win the election.
“In my lifetime, I have seen two elections where the winner of the general election did not win the popular vote,” said Senator Boxer. “When all the ballots are counted, Hillary Clinton will have won the popular vote by a margin that could exceed two million votes, and she is on track to have received more votes than any other presidential candidate in history except Barack Obama. This is the only office in the land where you can get more votes and still lose the presidency. The Electoral College is an outdated, undemocratic system that does not reflect our modern society, and it needs to change immediately. Every American should be guaranteed that their vote counts.”
“In 2012, Donald Trump tweeted, ‘The electoral college is a disaster for a democracy,’ ” Boxer added. “I couldn’t agree more. One person, one vote!”
During his interview on “60 Minutes” on Sunday, Trump said his views on the Electoral College haven’t changed. “You know, I’m not going to change my mind just because I won. But I would rather see it where you went with simple votes. You know, you get 100 million votes and somebody else gets 90 million votes and you win,” he said. This morning, he tweeted that the Electoral College is “actually genius.”
As of early Tuesday, Hillary Clinton had received 61,929,605 votes (47.8 percent) and Donald Trump had received 60,938,847 votes (47.0 percent), according to the Cook Political Report national popular vote tracker.
Senator Boxer’s legislation would amend the Constitution of the United States and abolish the Electoral College. The amendment would take effect when ratified by three-fourths of the states within seven years after its passage in the U.S. Congress.
13 comments
She’s an idiot. Does she even know why there is an electoral college?
This is outrageous. Democrats lose an election so they will now change a system that has worked since the birth of this country so major US Cities such as New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles can decide an election. No thanks! The system ensures fairness for the entire country who have a variety of needs.
This is nothing more than crybaby liberals who can’t take losing an election. Do democrats think the public is that stupid? How easy would it be to steal elections using the popular vote with Democrats voting from the dead, illegals and handing out freebies in exchange for votes. Shame on Boxer and small minded simpleton Democrats!
Love to see the butthurt liberals soaking in their tears. Hahahahaha
Why am I not surprised demotards don’t seem to know why there is an electoral college in the first place.
I’m a Republican, and the electoral college should’ve been abolished a long time ago. When I vote Republican, my vote doesn’t count. 50% of us can relate. Republicans in a Democratic states, and Democrats in Republican states get screwed thanks to the electoral college.
One vote – one winner is the only fair way. Electoral college gives an unfair advantage to small states. Swing states decide elections all the time.
This is the fifth time someone has won the popular vote, and lost the election. Republicans and Democrats alike.
Then there was John Quincy Adams who won the popular vote and the electoral vote, but he and Jackson didn’t have enough electoral votes to win the election. So it went to the House, and the House chose Jackson.
How unfair is that?
I think you need a better understanding as to why the electoral college is there. It does have its problems, but it is the best way to level the playing fields between states. It has only affected four elections since our nation’s birth, and only comes into question whenever it determines the outcome of a presidential election. Without an electoral college, presidential candidates would only need to court and play homage to the large population centers and those of us in more rural areas would never be served. Just look at the most recent county by county election results. Nearly all the population centers are blue…the rest of the country, roughly 90% are red.
It has affected five elections, not four. Prior to the eighties, Republicans or Democrats could easily win in CA, usually Republicans. Since then, all electoral votes in CA have gone to the Dems.
The electoral college doesn’t level the playing field. It gives smaller states unfair advantage. It gives swing states (who decide elections all the time) too much power. It gives 50% of us a vote that doesn’t count (for President) unless you’re a Republican in a red state, or Democrat in a blue state. Lastly, it gives the House the power to put into office whoever they want, in case of a tie or not enough electoral votes to win.
It’s time for the PEOPLE to decide, not the state or the House.
And. yes, I’m well aware of why the electoral college is in place. It’s outdated, and it needs to be abolished.
79% of people on debate.org think it should be abolished, and 21% said no. Most people want it abolished, Republicans and Democrats alike. This argument has been going on forever, regardless of political party.
Debate.org? Now that is funny. Not interested in following the sheep. There have been 43 presidents in the US history which some have served 2 terms so a total of 57 elections. 5 out of 57 elections is no reason to change how this country was set up.
Most people want it abolished, even though it will never happen. It’s an argument every election.
One election should be enough to change. And the House shouldn’t decide in case of a tie or not enough electoral votes.
The people should decide, not the state. Doesn’t this state have enough control already.
As a Republican, I’d like my vote to count. It will NEVER count in CA will the electoral college.
And all the above Republicans wanting to keep the electoral college in place. You might as well stay home, because CA will always have 55 electoral votes that go to the DEMS. PERIOD.
Never is a long time…California carried Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. As times change so does the voting public. Your vote still counts for all the local and state elections, so it still matters.
CA will never go back to a Republican state. So, yes, my Republican vote will never count for President in CA.
?
This entire argument is a waste of time and money. 75% of the states would also need to approve to change our constitution and it ain’t gonna happen. They’ll vote not only “no,” but “hell no!” They won’t want to give up their voice.
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