I would like to thank the members of the Legislature, who voted for the national popular vote interstate compact, and Gov. Mills, who allowed it to become law. Maine has taken a small but important step toward enactment of a national popular vote nationwide.
A national popular vote for president reflects the will of the public more accurately than the Electoral College. Indeed, there have been five times in United States history when a candidate for president, received more votes nationally than the winner of the Electoral College, including the elections of 2000 and 2016.
Currently in most states, the winner of the popular vote in that state wins all of its Electoral College votes, and the loser receives none. A popular vote is fairer even in states that split their Electoral College votes, such as Maine, as the Portland Press Herald pointed out in a Jan. 14 editorial. For example, in 2020, Donald Trump won one out of four of Maine’s Electoral College votes (25%) but won 44% of the popular vote.
When something important has always been done a certain way, it can be hard to see how change could be better. For example, U.S. senators were elected by state legislatures until 1913. Now we elect senators by state popular vote and would not consider returning to the earlier system.
I believe some day U.S. presidents will be elected by national popular vote. Once it becomes established, we will wonder why we didn’t do so all along.
Daniel Hildreth
Falmouth
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