Michigan’s Democratic-led House Elections Committee voted 6-2 along party lines Tuesday to advance legislation that would commit the state to awarding its electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the national popular vote.
House Bills 4156 and 4440, both sponsored by Rep. Carrie Rheingans (D-Ann Arbor), would add Michigan’s 15 Electoral College votes to the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.
Sixteen states and Washington, D.C. have enacted laws to join the interstate agreement, for which compact members pledge to award their electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote. It would be successful when member states account for at least 270 electoral votes — the minimum threshold to secure the presidency. The number now stands at 205 after Minnesota signed on last month; that would grow to 220 if Michigan joined.
Various pro-democracy and voters’ rights groups have spoken out in support of the bill, including Voters Not Politicians, the Michigan League of Women Voters, and Mothering Justice. Nancy Wang, executive director of Voters Not Politicians, said that voters “sent a clear message” in the last election cycle against the undermining of elections.
“Enacting National Popular Vote in Michigan is the logical next step for those who want to protect our democracy and ensure that the candidate with the most votes is elected president,” Wang said in a statement. “Today’s affirmative vote in the House Elections Committee represents an important step in adding Michigan as the 16th state to pass a National Popular Vote bill.”
This story was originally published by Michigan Advance. Read more here: https://michiganadvance.com/2023/06/06/michigan-house-elections-committee-advances-national-popular-vote-legislation/
