Readers: 'Electoral College is Obsolete'

This year's election may be over, but there is a movement under way that would change the way the U.S. president is chosen in the future.

And that change is something some Land O' Lakes residents might be pleased with.

"I think the Electoral College is obsolete and should be abolished," Patch reader keynote commented on a recent story about the system for electing U.S. presidents.

," Patch reader Ann wrote.

An effort to change the system has been in the works since 2006,when a bipartisan coalition of former congressmen launched a state-by-state campaign starting in Illinois. 

Since then, the bill has gained enough traction to make its mark on the political landscape—and possibly change the way the next president is determined.

The National Popular Vote bill "would guarantee a majority of the Electoral College to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia," according to the NPV website. "The bill would reform the Electoral College so that the electoral vote in the Electoral College reflects the choice of the nation's voters for President of the United States."

So far, the bill has been enacted into law in states that possess a total of 132 electoral votes, which is 49 percent of the 270 electoral votes needed to activate the legislation, according to the site. Those states include Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachussetts, New Jersey and California, among others.

The website provides those interested with a pre-formatted letter to send to state legislators asking them to support the bill in their state. Doing so requires entering a ZIP code and contact information, including a mailing address.

The site also provides opportunities to get involved in promoting the bill as a volunteer.

For more infomation, visit the National Popular Vote website.

See also: The Electoral College vs. Popular Vote

Let Patch save you time. Get great local stories like this delivered right to your inbox or smartphone every day with our free newsletter. Simple, fast sign-up here.