Let’s Make Every Vote Count
Author: Rebecca Moryl
Every four years, we consider the Presidential candidates and the issues that shape our nation, and we tell ourselves that ‘every vote counts.’ Increasingly, we see that this is not the case because of the Electoral College system. In five out of the 59 elections held since 1789, the candidate chosen by most Americans DID NOT become president. Two of those elections occurred within the last 25 years. It is time for a change.
The Electoral College system doesn’t represent who we are or our belief in equality. Under the current system, candidates only focus on swing states, while neglecting small and large states alike across the rest of the country. Most unfair is that every vote doesn’t count equally. For instance, a vote in Wyoming counts approximately 3.6 times more than a vote in California, whose population makes up more than 12% of the U.S. population. No matter where you live, we believe your vote should count equally so that all Americans have a fair say in choosing who will lead our nation.
It is time for a change. In fact, one is already underway. The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) is an agreement among states to award their electors to the presidential candidate who wins the popular vote. The NPVIC works within the Electoral College system, using the Constitutional power of the states to ensure that the winner of the popular vote becomes president. Seventeen states plus DC have already joined the NPVIC, representing 209 of the 270 electoral college votes needed to ensure that the winner of the popular vote becomes president. Only a handful of additional states are needed to join the NPVIC to make that change. Visit www.nationalpopularvote.com to find out if your state has joined the NPVIC and if not, how you can help make that happen.
This movement toward equality for all voters across the U.S. isn’t theoretical. We’re more than 70% there! If we work together, we can achieve a true one-person-one-vote democracy in the near future. The NPVIC would put the election of the president firmly back in the hands of the voters, and each voter’s choice would count equally.
As you celebrate this July 4th, remember the role that voting and active citizenship play in preserving our nation and its freedoms. Take a moment to visit 2029.org and join the campaign to make every vote count equally. Together we can ensure that our presidential elections are indeed for the people, by the people, and reflect the consent of the governed.
Project 2029 is a citizen-led initiative that develops policies and ideas that serve all Americans and address the systems that do not. Want to contribute? Join the Project 2029 Organizer’s Team. We welcome organizers with various backgrounds and skills, including policy development, volunteer management, marketing, and more. Volunteers of different skill levels and abilities are welcome to participate.
