A Vote to Quit the Electoral College

California Legislators pass a bill that could launch a national movement to elect the president by popular vote.

Lawmakers sent Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger a bill Wednesday that would make California the first state to jump aboard a national movement to elect the president by popular vote.

Under the legislation, California would grant its electoral votes to the nominee who gets the most votes nationwide — not the most votes in California. Get enough other states to do the same, backers of the bill say, and soon presidential candidates will have to campaign across the nation, not just in a few key "battleground" states such as Ohio and Michigan that can sway the Electoral College vote.

"Frankly, the current system doesn't work," said Assemblyman Rick Keene (R-Chico), the only Republican to vote for the bill. "Presidential candidates don't bother to visit the largest state in the nation…. California is left out."

If Schwarzenegger signs the bill — AB 2948 by Assemblyman Tom Umberg (D-Anaheim) — California will be the first state to embrace the "national popular vote" movement, though legislation is pending in five other states: New York, Illinois, Missouri, Colorado and Louisiana.

Currently there are four bills bending in the US Congress designed to end the Electoral College.

H. J. RES. 36 Rep Jackson, Jesse L., Jr.; 4/4/2005: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution.

H. J. RES. 50 Rep Lofgren, Zoe; 6/6/2005: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution.

S. J. RES. 11 Sen Feinstein, Dianne; 3/16/2005: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

H. J. RES. 8 Rep Green, Gene; 3/2/2005: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution.