State Senator Aric Nesbitt is calling attention to a proposal that would change how Michigan awards its electors in presidential elections. He’s among a group of 40 House members and 17 senators who have penned an open letter to the people of Michigan against the plan. Nesbitt tells WSJM News the initiative would, if approved, award all of Michigan’s electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the national popular vote.
“What they’re doing right now is they’ve been lobbying for the last decade to try to get legislation passed in the Michigan Legislature…So now, they’re doing this initiative process, and they’re going out and trying to get 400,000 people to sign their petition. I would encourage people to decline to sign. Don’t sign this petition that would lessen your effect in terms of vote.”
Nesbitt says the proposal would deprive Michigan voters of their voice, forcing the state to throw all of its support to whoever wins the national popular vote, regardless of how Michigan voters feel. The letter from state lawmakers calls the Electoral College “a reliable mechanism for presidential elections for centuries.” Nesbitt says the initiative is a power grab by those who know votes in population centers will outweigh the votes in smaller areas.
Below is the full letter from the lawmakers.
