A group of Maine Republicans have introduced legislation that would withdraw the state from the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, an agreement among the states that could bring about sweeping changes to how the President of the United States is elected.
If enough states were to join the Compact, it would effectively override the electoral college by guaranteeing that the winner of the national popular vote would always be elected president, regardless of who earned the most electoral votes.
In April of last year, Gov. Janet Mills (D) allowed the Compact to become law without her signature, officially making Maine one of eighteen states to have pledged to potentially reallocate their electoral votes to the winner of the popular vote in future elections.
By joining this Compact, Maine’s four electoral votes could eventually be awarded to whichever presidential candidate garners the most votes nationwide, irrespective of who the majority of Mainers vote for at the ballot box.
[RELATED: Maine Joins the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact]
This Compact will only take effect, however, if the total number of electoral votes represented by the signatories is equal to or greater than 270, the threshold necessary for a candidate to win the presidency.
House lawmakers approved the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact last year by a single-vote margin in a roll call vote of 73-72.
The next day, legislators in the Senate followed suit and passed the Compact in a largely-partisan roll call vote of 18-12.
Joining the majority of Republicans in opposition to the Compact were Sen. Jill Duson (D-Cumberland) and Sen. Craig Hickman (D-Kennebec).
Former Sen. Matt Pouliot (R-Kennebec) voted alongside the remaining Democrats in support of signing onto the Compact.
[RELATED: Maine Moves One Step Closer to Joining the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact]
Once Maine officially became a part of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, the coalition represented a total of 209 electoral votes.
Among the states that have also signed the Compact are: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhone Island, Vermont, and Washington.
The bill introduced Tuesday to withdraw from the Compact was sponsored by Rep. Barbara A. Bagshaw (R-Windham) and cosponsored by House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham (R-Winter Harbor), Rep. Jeffrey Sean Adams (R-Lebanon), Rep. Alicia Collins (R-Sidney), and Rep. Mark C. Cooper (R-Windham).
LD 252 will now go before the State’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee for a public hearing and further consideration by lawmakers.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="34239 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=34239">11 Comments
Notice not one of those states give their delegates to Trump… Should they start already? Of course they won’t because they wouldn’t want to help trump. Its easy to give your delegates to your guy who you think will always win.
mills, ” we wouldn’t have to do this if just start voting the way we tell you”.
Brought to the voters of Maine by the same sneaky people who scammed you into the Ranked Choice Voting Scheme . This shouldn’t even be up for debate . Shut up Angus . We NEED to be part of the Electoral College and NOT socialist Marxist communist “ voting compact “ .
Time for Maine voters to get it right !
Time to save Maine from these lunatic democrats .
Until Mainers start projecting more conservative power in this state, the liberals will keep walking over everyone. We need to get out more voters, win the voter id ballot initiative and start making it uncomfortable for the liberal transplants to feel welcome in this state.
Correct that headline! These five Rhinos just outed themselves. Good. No conservative independent voter will go along to get along with this nonsense.
It’s about time the Republicans start waking up. They always let the Democrats out maneuver them, Let’s hope Rep Bagshaw can get the backing to push this all the way.
Next let’s get rid of Rank Choice Cheating and our Communist Secretary of State.
Hickman is my state senator. When he was a state rep, he was predictably liberal. Now he seems to be pulling a “Jared Golden”. Vote conservative when your vote doesn’t matter.
The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact scheme dramatically weakens Maine’s stature in the United States!
The President of the United States has NEVER been elected by a “national popular vote” because the United States is not a democracy.. Such a tally has never existed because a national election has never existed. Presidents are elected in a FEDERAL election, currently using 50 separately-conducted elections in the States, plus in D.C.
The Electoral College can only be made obsolete by ending the United States Federation,
A popular vote is not even the Back-Up Plan to elect a President.
By joining this terrible Contract, MAINE has given away the control of MAINE’s Votes to people who have nothing at all to do with MAINE!!
Since 1904, the Electoral College has elected 15 Democats and, now, 16 Republican Presidents. The Electoral College certainly is not UNFAIR!
Maine has quite literally erased itself as a State in choosing the President by joining this nefarious, dangerous and deeply flawed NPV Compact.
Our Federation, but more importantly, the State of Maine and the People of Maine are best served by REPEALING its participation in the National Popular Vote scheme!
Why are we in the State of Maine in bed with all of these other socialistic leaning, and voting, states. This is not “the way life should be.”
“Among the states that have also signed the Compact are: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhone Island, Vermont, and Washington.
Wooly Moose, how dare you call our political adventurist Sheena a Communist! Of course you are correct in your use of that descriptive; however, in the New State of Maine, one speaks truth only in the shower with the bathroom door closed.
Not any more Gardiner . Not any more .
We are taking our state back .
Enough of the Anti American TRADITIONAL values , from the Maine Socialist Anti Trump Democrats .
NOT ANY MORE .