Resolution in Opposition to the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact Exposed

The Resolution in Opposition to the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact is listed under ALEC's Public Safety and Elections Task Force. There is no adoption or approval information available. ALEC has attempted to distance itself from this piece of legislation after the launch of ALECexposed.org in 2011, but it has done nothing to get it repealed in the states where it previously pushed for it to be made into law.

CMD's Bill Summary

This Resolution expresses opposition to the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, an effort to replace the electoral college with a direct, nationwide vote. The Compact is based on Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution, which gives each state legislature the right to decide how to appoint its own electors; if enough states join the compact to represent a controlling majority of the Electoral College (270 votes), all of the states would cast their electoral votes for the winner of the national popular vote (rather than just the winner for their particular state).

A direct vote would avoid problems like those that arose in the 2000 Bush v. Gore election, where Al Gore won the popular vote, but lost the election because Florida (and its questionable ballot-counting; not that this Resolution also criticizes the Compact for not establishing standards for recounts). Direct voting has been debated on both ends of the political spectrum. The biggest change would likely be that elections would not be decided by just a few swing states (which means that candidates would have more of a national focus, rather than appealing to discrete interest groups within swing states at the expense of other states). Direct voting would also make it harder for corporations and interest groups (like the NRA) to influence elections -- these groups would no longer be able to spend lots of money on just a few states and have an impact on the outcome.

ALEC Resolution Text

Summary

This resolution calls on the State of (insert state) to oppose the plan popularly known as National Popular Vote. The National Popular Vote scheme threatens freedom, representation, and the identity of the United States as a confederation of distinct governing bodies who act according to the wishes of the majority of their citizens. The National Popular Vote scheme would undermine state authority and give some states power over the voice of others. It would render minority groups voiceless and empower densely populated and ideologically homogenous regions as well as radical fringe groups.

Model Resolution

{Title, enacting clause, etc.}

WHEREAS, the plan known as National Popular Vote claims to create a national system for conducting presidential elections, yet fails to create national standards for ballot access; and

WHEREAS, the plan known as National Popular Vote claims to create a national system for conducting presidential elections, yet fails to create national standards for voter qualifications; and

WHEREAS, the plan known as National Popular Vote claims to create a national system for conducting presidential elections, yet fails to create national standards for requiring a recount of ballots within a state; and

WHEREAS, the plan known as National Popular Vote claims to create a national system for conducting presidential elections, yet fails to establish any rule to require a national recount where the national result is within a small margin even if the result in no individual state is within a margin that requires a recount in the state; and

WHEREAS, the plan known as National Popular Vote claims to create a national system for conducting presidential elections, yet fails to create national standards for recounting ballots; and

WHEREAS, the plan known as National Popular Vote claims to use an interstate compact rather than a constitutional amendment to enact a change that most Americans believe requires such an amendment and should at least be the subject of national discussion and deliberation; and

WHEREAS, the plan known as National Popular Vote has no majority requirement, but would allow a candidate with a plurality – however small – to become President.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the State of (insert state) opposes the plan know as National Popular Vote or any other proposal to manipulate the Electoral College for the purpose of creating a national presidential vote through an interstate compact.