Durbin, Schatz, Welch Introduce Constitutional Amendment To End Undemocratic Electoral College

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Peter Welch (D-VT) introduced a constitutional amendment to abolish the Electoral College system and restore democracy by allowing the direct election of presidents through popular vote alone.

“In 2000, before the general election, I introduced a bipartisan resolution to amend the Constitution and abolish the Electoral College.  I still believe today that it is time to retire this 18th century invention that disenfranchises millions of Americans,” said Durbin.  “The American people deserve to choose all their leaders, and I am proud to support this effort with Senators Schatz and Welch to empower voters.”

“In an election, the person who gets the most votes should win.  It’s that simple,” said Schatz. “No one’s vote should count for more based on where they live.  The Electoral College is outdated and it’s undemocratic. It’s time to end it.”

“Our democracy is at its strongest when everyone’s voice is heard—and right now our elections aren’t as representative as they should be because of the outdated and flawed electoral college.  I’m excited to partner with my friends and colleagues Senator Schatz and Chair Durbin on this important constitutional amendment, which will help empower every voter in every state,” said Welch.

In all but five presidential elections, the winner of the election received the most votes.  Two of those five times came in the last 25 years, handing the presidency to candidates the majority of voters rejected.  A handful of states now determine the leader for all 50 states, regardless of each candidate’s final vote tally.  The proposed constitutional amendment would address this inequality by abolishing the outdated Electoral College system.  Specifically, the constitutional amendment would provide for the direct election of the President and Vice President of the United States by a popular vote among voters in each state and the District of Columbia.

Seventeen states and the District of Columbia have joined a national plan to bypass the Electoral College by agreeing to allocate its electoral votes to whichever candidate wins the nationwide popular vote.  The movement to abolish the Electoral College is also gaining popularity among voters with polls showing more voters preferring direct elections through a popular vote over the existing Electoral College system.

The constitutional amendment is supported by the NAACP and Common Cause.

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