Electoral College Change Could Weaken Northern Virginia's Influence
Petersen: Republican effort to end winner-take-all system is 'anti-Democratic'
A Republican-led effort to end the Old Dominion's traditional winner-take-all approach to picking a president has drawn national attention and could weaken the influence of voters in urban areas like Northern Virginia. The bill, authored by state Sen. Charles Carrico, a Galax Republican, would divvy up electoral college votes based on who wins each of this state's 11 congressional districts. Carrico has said that the current system casts aside the wishes of rural voters and that his bill is an attempt to even the playing field, according to the Roanoke Times. More broadly, proponents in the GOP say the new system would better reflect the popular vote. The bill heads to the full Senate Privileges and Elections Committee next week. Gov. Bob …
In this Article:
Bill Strandberg
8:46 am on Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Interesting comment from Sen. Peterson calling the measure "anti-Democratic" with a capital "D". That is precisely the problem. The measure dilutes the "D"emocratic Party's ability to cluster votes in large population areas of a state where the usual liberal, Democratic constituency can overcome the greater good of an entire state. Besides Virginia, Pennsylvania, Illinois, New York and Ohio all … more ›