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Borrello, Goodell propose split of state electoral votes

State Sen. George Borrello and state Assemblyman Andrew Goodell have proposed legislation that would allow the state’s Electoral College for president and vice president to be split along Congressional districts.

The legislation would amend the state’s Election Law. Current law gives all of the state’s Electoral College votes to the statewide winner of the presidential election regardless of the margin of victory. That approach is antithetical to the concept of the popular vote.

“The practical effect of the current system is to disenfranchise millions of voters,” Borrello wrote. “The current approach is also the antithesis of a popular election of president and vice-president. If every state cast its electoral votes in proportion to the statewide votes, the electoral college would more closely match the popular vote. Instead, the current system distorts the popular vote by casting all the electoral votes for the statewide winner regardless of the popular vote within the state. Thus, a presidential candidate who wins by a very small margin within the state nevertheless would receive all the electoral votes from the state.”

Added Goodell: “Although the Constitution established the Electoral College system, it does not mandate the framework by which states must choose electors or allocate electoral votes. The congressional district method is a proven alternative that would achieve the goal of strengthening New Yorkers’ influence in presidential campaigns. It is entirely consistent with the electoral process that our Founding Fathers originally designed, while reflecting more accurately the popular vote within the state.”

See Friday’s edition for complete coverage.

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