There has been some progress from Beacon Hill (the State Capitol) on the Election Reform front since Adam last reported on it. Good! The lowdown is this: the State Leg adjourned before they could take either proposal all the way to being signed by the Governor, which is bad. The good thing is that each piece of legislation moved forward.
The National Popular Vote bill was ratified by the State Senate, and, having been previously approved by the house, must be sent to the Governors desk (by a separate vote, since MA is strange like that) when both chambers get back into session. The National Popular Vote bill, you’d recall, would give all of MA’s electoral college vote to the winner of the national popular vote, but only if enough states also passed the bill so that >270 electoral college votes would be covered by this pact.
The Election Day Registration legislation was also approved by the Senate. Now it must move to the State House. Some members of the House are opposing it on fiscal grounds. They think that letting more people vote would cost too much. These people don’t have their priorities straight.
All in all, good news everyone.
To be involved in the National Popular Vote bill effort . . .
Sign up to get email updates – http://www.NationalPopularVote.com/pages/getemailupdates.php
Help get the word out and show your support.
Tell a friend- http://www.NationalPopularVote.com/pages/tellafriend.php
Distribute literature at political, civic, or other meeting, convention, or conference.
Post on discussion groups.
Write letters to editors, OpEds, and/or blog.
Responses to many common misinformed critiques are at http://NationalPopularVote.com/pages/faq.php
Up-to-date information and materials are at http://www.NationalPopularVote.com/pages/explanation.php