A group of Maine Republicans have introduced legislation that would withdraw the state from the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, an agreement among the states that could bring about sweeping changes to how the President of the United States is elected.
If enough states were to join the Compact, it would effectively override the electoral college by guaranteeing that the winner of the national popular vote would always be elected president, regardless of who earned the most electoral votes.
In April of last year, Gov. Janet Mills (D) allowed the Compact to become law without her signature, officially making Maine one of eighteen states to have pledged to potentially reallocate their electoral votes to the winner of the popular vote in future elections.
By joining this Compact, Maine’s four electoral votes could eventually be awarded to whichever presidential candidate garners the most votes nationwide, irrespective of who the majority of Mainers vote for at the ballot box.
This Compact will only take effect, however, if the total number of electoral votes represented by the signatories is equal to or greater than 270, the threshold necessary for a candidate to win the presidency.
House lawmakers approved the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact last year by a single-vote margin in a roll call vote of 73-72.
The next day, legislators in the Senate followed suit and passed the Compact in a largely-partisan roll call vote of 18-12.
Joining the majority of Republicans in opposition to the Compact were Sen. Jill Duson (D-Cumberland) and Sen. Craig Hickman (D-Kennebec).
Former Sen. Matt Pouliot (R-Kennebec) voted alongside the remaining Democrats in support of signing onto the Compact.
Once Maine officially became a part of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, the coalition represented a total of 209 electoral votes.
Among the states that have also signed the Compact are: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhone Island, Vermont, and Washington.
The bill introduced Tuesday to withdraw from the Compact was sponsored by Rep. Barbara A. Bagshaw (R-Windham) and cosponsored by House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham (R-Winter Harbor), Rep. Jeffrey Sean Adams (R-Lebanon), Rep. Alicia Collins (R-Sidney), and Rep. Mark C. Cooper (R-Windham).
LD 252 will now go before the State’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee for a public hearing and further consideration by lawmakers.
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