Will Electoral College Reform Come to Michigan?

In 2012, Michigan voters cast the majority of their votes for Democrats to represent them in the State House and in Congress. But, due to 2010 redistricting Republicans won the majority of the seats in both the State House and in Congress. Now, some Republicans want to reform the Electoral College so that without winning a majority of the votes, they will be able to seat the majority of the Electors.

In 2011, State Representative Pete Lund (R-Shelby Twp) introduced House Bill 5184, a bill to amend election law so that electoral votes will be chosen from each congressional district instead of from the state at large.

Now some Republicans are threatening to bring the same bill forward in 2013-2014 session. With comfortable majorities in both the State House and State Senate and with the Governor, Republicans can pass this bill.

The bill states, “One presidential elector shall be chosen from each congressional district, and 2 presidential electors shall be chosen at large.” If this bill is reintroduced and passes, Republicans will win the majority of presidential electors even when their candidate receives a minority of the votes. Had this reform been implemented in the 2012 election, the Republican Mitt Romney would have secured a majority of Michigan’s electors with a minority of Michigan’s popular vote.

Progressive Democrats of Monroe is joining Working America in a non-partisan effort to inform voters about injustice already imposed upon Michiganders by the gerrymandered districts and the further injustice that would occur if this bill were to become law. Please let me know if you would like to be part of this effort.