Nevada governor vetoes National Popular Vote bill
You may have noticed that Nevada recently joined the club of state legislatures that have passed laws joining the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact and saying that they would go with the popular vote in an election. Well, this time the governor of the state involved, Nevada, has vetoed the legislation.
Good for him.
What’s more, he’s a Democrat, which makes his action quite unusual:
“After thoughtful deliberation, I have decided to veto Assembly Bill 186,” Sisolak said in a statement. “Once effective, the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact could diminish the role of smaller states like Nevada in national electoral contests and force Nevada’s electors to side with whoever wins the nationwide popular vote, rather than the candidate Nevadans choose.”
“I recognize that many of my fellow Nevadans may disagree on this point and I appreciate the legislature’s thoughtful consideration of this important issue,” he added.
The pact only would take effect once states totaling 270 electoral votes have signed onto it, but the group sponsoring this is determined to keep going and it seems that they may end up crossing that threshold. Even so, it’s possible that it wouldn’t come into effect for a long while, because it is somewhat rare (at least, it used to be somewhat rare) that a president wins without winning the popular vote. It’s also possible such a pact would be declared unconstitutional.
My guess is that, as soon as it happens that a Democrat were to win a presidential election and yet lose the popular vote—if such a thing ever occurs—these states would repeal the law so fast it would make your head spin.
I view the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact as a serious threat to the Constitution. Glad this Democrat governor understood the threat.
Agreed.
This is unconstitutional. Not even a close case.
Probably would be reversed on appeal. I would like to see Trump win the popular vote in 2020 just to see the reactions. It would probably take massive vote reform to do so, though. More than a million illegal votes in CA.
How, specifically, is it unconstitutional? I don’t recall anything specifically stating that electors have to be chosen by voters. “Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors….”
So the state legislature could appoint them, hold a lottery, let a blind chicken pick them, or select them however they saw fit.
“My guess is that, as soon as it happens that a Democrat were to win a presidential election and yet lose the popular vote—if such a thing ever occurs—these states would repeal the law so fast it would make your head spin.” — Neo.
The General Staff is always fighting the last war.
AesopFan’s Neo quote caught my interest too.
“– these states would repeal the law so fast it would make your head spin.”
Or … They would find a way to twist the English language or redefine a term in the law such that one or two states in the cabal would be “forced” to drop out, thereby falling below the required 270 electors, thereby ratifying the Dem electoral vote win. “The law made us do it.” they would claim. Have your cake and eat it too! What’s not like?
It is unconstitutional in two ways.
The first is that the states are forbidden to enter into compacts.
The second is that the 14th amendment requires the state to allow people to vote for electors. Otherwise they lose their representation.
The first is that the states are forbidden to enter into compacts.
No, compacts require congressional approval.
Ruffin:
Here are some of the arguments regarding the law’s constitutionality.
TommyJay – Don’t give them any ideas!
A sane Democrat. Maybe unicorns are possible.
It seems to me that if this law is *not* unconstitutional then the word has lost all meaning.
It seeks to rIp away the structural underpinnings that make us a democratic republic. By definition.
You forget that a good part of Hillary’s popular vote win was very likely the result of massive cheating in one state – CA. For one thing, they made it almost the default for immigrants aliens, legal and esp illegal, to sign up to vote when getting drivers licenses. Now they have added fairly unrestricted ballot harvesting, hence five traditionally Republican Orange County Congressional seats flipping in the last election due to late counted ballots.
Well, America’s Republic doesn’t seem to be resurrecting any time soon. Not withstanding Trum’s efforts with “Make America Great Again”. Maybe he can start with “Make the Republic alive again”.
FOAF on June 2, 2019 at 1:31 am said:
A sane Democrat. Maybe unicorns are possible.
Demoncrats or Republicans, Left hand path vs Right hand path. Both are human and both are about equally broken under the Divine Pov.
ymar, it is always about choosing the lesser evil. stop pouting on the sidelines.