VOTE:NO – Governor Brown Signed
Status (overview) of bill:https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2019R1/Measures/Overview/SB870
Committee assigned to bill: https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2019R1/Committees/HRULES/Overview
This bill enacts Interstate Compact for Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote.
Personal Choice and Responsibility
When Oregon is lumped into a Compact with California or any state with more electoral college voting power, Oregon votes will never count because larger states will dominate the vote – if Oregon’s popular vote is for X and California votes Z, Oregon will be forced to vote for Z at the Electoral College. Currently, the Electoral College weighs every vote so smaller states are weighted more than more populated states giving Oregonians a 1.3 vote value compared to New York’s 1.0 vote value, and Oregon has the same advantage over other states with more voters. This bill will eliminate that advantage plus reduce our voting presence since with Oregon’s current voting percentage, only 3% of Californian voters would need to vote before Oregon voters would have no say in how our Electoral votes are cast. It totally eliminates our voter sovereignty.
Limited Government
The large populous states that would dominate the vote, are also the states that vote for unlimited government and are the most expensive places to live. It will make this nation a pure democracy, which is directly opposite of our constitutional construction. Three or four populous states would be sufficient to elect a president, which would make voting in small or less populated states like Oregon irrelevant.
Even though the constitution is 229 years old today, our forefathers had the wisdom to protect states with small populations like Oregon that would be overpowered by large, densely populated states that are in the US. This protection of MY vote is called the electoral college. We are NOT a democracy but a constitutional republic, and we shall not change this by using a work around like this bill.
This is a VERY bad idea. For Oregon it means, forget us we all agree with California. Essentially it will give all the power to the large population states. If you think your vote doesn’t count now, it really won’t count if this goes through. The Electoral college has worked this well for this long, there is no logical reason to get rid of it.
The Electoral College is an example of the brilliance of our Founders. Let’s replicate it here in Oregon. Rather than being ruled by three counties, let’s let every county submit its votes for statewide offices.
This is yet another attempt by the democrats to steal our vote from us. This is ridiculous and should be illegal.
LEAVE OUR ELECTORAL COLLEGE IN PLACE! This is an attempt by the Democrats to steal our vote. Let’s face it they have to cheat to win. Believe it or not, removing the electoral college and going for the popular vote, WILL ONLY TAKE YOUR VOTE AWAY. IT WILL NOT COUNT.
Only big states like California, Texas, Florida, New York will decide our Presidential election. Just like Portland, Eugene, decides our Governor!
This bill is in direct violation of section five of the constitution. It takes a constitutional convention to change any part of the constitution but it seems that the constitution is irrelevant to some of our legislators.
Leave the electrol college alone. Dont want California and New York deciding what Oregon does or does not do. We need electrol college for state votes also, as Portland and Salem decides for the entire state.