GOP Sen. Smith opposes bill to allocate presidential electoral votes by congressional district

[DonViejo]

Source: Roanoke Times


If a bill to reapportion Virginia’s presidential electoral votes by congressional district is a Republican plot, someone forgot to tell state Sen. Ralph Smith, R-Bedford County.

Smith said this morning that he opposes the legislation, calling it “a bad idea.” Smith sits on the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee, which will hear the bill next week. Without Smith’s support, it’s unlikely the bill could get to the Senate floor. The Privileges and Elections Committee has eight Republicans and seven Democrats.

“What if all states got to skewering it to their advantage?” Smith said in an interview this morning.

Senate Bill 723 would allocate presidential electoral votes by congressional district rather than statewide popular vote. State Sen. Bill Carrico, R-Grayson County, introduced the measure.

If the system had been in effect for the 2012 election, Republican Mitt Romney would have won nine of Virginia’s 13 electoral votes, and President Barack Obama would have won four. Obama win the statewide popular vote for the second consecutive election, giving him Virginia’s 13 electoral votes. Obama in 2008 became the first Democrat in 44 years to win Virginia.



Read more: http://blogs.roanoke.com/politics/2013/01/25/gop-sen-smith-opposes-bill-to-allocate-presidential-electoral-votes-by-congressional-district/

[winter is coming]

1. Here's hoping he doesn't suddenly decide it's a good idea.

Couldn't the President sic the Justice Department or somebody on states trying to do this? It doesn't sound even remotely legal. We need to do something to make redistricting far less partisan.

[John2]

6. I know,

people keep saying this is legal and they use Nebraska and Maine for their examples. There is no precedent for this in the Supreme Court but there is precedent for several cases when voters bought a Discrimination suit in State elections based on the one man, one vote theory. The complainants won that case in the state of Alabama when the Legislature tried to dilute the votes of Birmingham against smaller Districts that had less population. There are several other cases on the books like that. That is the reason why the Legislature has to use the Census to appropiate representatives. They have to come up with the right plan, not to discriminate.

They can do this on the local level but that would not work on the national level without violating people's votes. It would dilute the votes of these urban areas. It definitely violates the one man, one vote rule. You might have had a President losing the popular vote nationally but not losing a state by losing that state's popular vote. It has never happened to any mayor represenative, senator, Governor. This would be clear evidence of blatantly rigging the Presidential Election. Even though they have this system in Nebraska or Maine,, the winner of those states on the Presidential level still won the popular votes of the states. I don't see how in the World people come to the conclusion this doesn't violate the Constitution, Voting Rights Act or even the 14th Amendment? No state in this country's history have disregarded the popular votes of their citizens and award a person with less votes as the winner of that state. Tell me when this has ever occurred? and I ask this question to those claiming this is legal, why wouldn't the people in those urban areas of the States have a good case against their Governors or Legislatures for violating their voting rights? Their votes would not count on the Presidential Level at all.

[tartan2]

2. This give me a glimmer of hope

I said glimmer because this guy is going to catch a shit ton of heat from his party to try and get him to go along. I have been watching and reading about this and it just sends chills up my spine!!! The handwriting is on the wall for the GOP either diversify or continue to loose elections, unless of course you can steal the elections.

[november3rd]

3. It's up to states

States can use any method for determining their electors.

Most use a popular vote majority with a winner take all system.

It can legally be changed to a lottery, a farting contest, or allocation by congressional district.

Talk about endangered species! A Republican with a conscience!

Go Senator Smith.

[OKNancy]

4. kick

[OKNancy]

5. "probably doomed this year"

Jan 25, 1:05 PM EST

GOP SENATORS WILL OPPOSE VA ELECTORAL CHANGE




RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- A Republican-backed bill to convert Virginia's winner-take-all method of apportioning presidential electors to one that awards electors one-by-one by congressional districts is likely doomed for the year.

At least two GOP state senators say they oppose the bill. That would leave it short of the majority it needs in a Virginia Senate where Democrats and Republicans hold 20 seats apiece.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/V/VA_ELECTORAL_RESHUFFLE?SECTION=HOME&SITE=AP&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[davidpdx]

7. Hold on let me put my bet down

The guy either gets removed from the committee, is implicated in a sex scandal, or outed.

Don't get me wrong I hope he stops them, but if it's between him and the bill he's toast.