President-elect Donald Trump could still win Maryland’s 10 Electoral College votes from the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election. Yes, you read that right.
It would be a result of the National Popular Vote interstate compact (NPV), a movement that seeks to “nullify the Electoral College in favor of a direct election of the president, but it only takes effect if joined by states that control 270 electoral votes.” This movement started after the 2000 close presidential election that saw George W. Bush defeat then-VP Al Gore.
“States would ignore their own voters and give away their electoral votes based on the national popular vote. It takes effect if passed in states that together control 270 or more electoral votes—a majority that would control who becomes president.” notes SaveOurStates.com.
The state of Maryland was the first state to join the NPV interstate compact, back in 2007. Who introduced it, in Annapolis? Then State Senator Jamie Raskin, now Congressman Raskin. Yep. You read that right. The Congressman who has become a vocal national critic / foil of the President-elect.
“I introduced the NPV legislation in Maryland in 2007 because we were tired of being bypassed in our presidential elections. It would be great to have some presidential candidates come to Maryland and talk about their plans for restoring the Chesapeake Bay or building overdue mass transit projects, like the Purple Line and Red Line, to reduce our traffic problems.” Raskin brags in a 2012 posting for the American Constitution Society (screen cap below):
Seventeen years later and the compact has not come into “full force” because only certain states have signed on to the interstate compact (the Purple Line and Baltimore Red Line metro lines referenced by Raskin don’t exist still, either). But as Trent England of SaveOurStates.com notes in a brilliant Nov 7 blog post, with Donald Trump appearing to win the national popular vote as well, there is nothing stopping these states from “putting their money where there mouth is”:
Will Congressman Raskin push for this outcome by Maryland’s electors as well?
“The National Popular Vote offers the people a way to use the Electoral College to have a true national election for the one public official who should represent all Americans. A national election will involve and engage the whole nation.” wrote Raskin back in 2012. Well, a true national election was just held – and Donald Trump appears to have won it.
Interesting times ahead!
Related posts:
Looking Into Congressman Jamie Raskin’s Big-Money Individual Donors Based in Montgomery County this Cycle
Congressman Raskin’s List of Baffling Votes in the Current U.S. Congress
Jamie Raskin, Local County Council Acolytes, Strangely Silent on Democracy-Smashing Fraud Found in Bridgeport, CT Democratic Primary Election