A decade-long lobbying campaign in Connecticut ended Saturday with a surprisingly strong 21-14 vote by the Senate for final passage of a bill committing the state to an interstate compact intended to sideline the electoral college and elect the president by the popular vote.
The national popular vote compact would not take effect until states representing 270 electoral votes — the magic number to elect a U.S. president — sign onto a compact that essentially is a constitutional workaround, a way to undo a 200-year-old element of the Constitution without amending it.
The addition of Connecticut’s seven electoral votes will bring the current tally to 172 — 98 short of a majority. Once activated, the compact would commit the state to cast its electoral votes on behalf of the winner of the national popular vote, regardless of who won in Connecticut. Other signatories include its bordering states: New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
“A single vote, one person, one vote, is the way we should conduct all of our elections,” said Senate President Pro Tem Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven.
Republicans George S. Logan of Ansonia, Heather Somers of Groton and Kevin Witkos of Canton joined all 18 Democrats in support. The House passed it last week, 77 to 73, with one Republican in support and three Democrats opposed. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy promises to sign the bill.
“On this particular issue, it doesn’t matter if you are a Democrat, a Republican or a Libertarian: It’s about making your state relevant in the presidential election,” said Barry Fadem, the president of National Popular Vote. “If you’re not a battleground state, you’re irrelevant.”
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