Why Trump wants to change Nebraska’s electoral voting system
At the urging of former President Donald Trump, Republican lawmakers in Nebraska are pushing a last-ditch effort to change the way the state allocates electoral college votes and adopt a “winner takes all” system that could impede President Joe Biden’s chances of winning re-election.
Nebraska’s current system allocates two of the state’s five electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the majority of votes statewide. The three other electoral votes are awarded to the winner of each of the state’s three congressional districts.
Under the system, Democratic candidates have a chance of winning an electoral vote in the deep-red state from the more liberal-leaning district surrounding its largest city, Omaha. Biden won the district in 2020 and former President Barack Obama picked it up in 2008.
With Trump and Biden in a dead heat in general election polls, the 2024 race could come down to just a few electoral votes in key states. Trump is hoping to swing Nebraska’s system in his favor.
Republicans have been trying to alter the system since it was approved by the state legislature in 1991, but the bills have either been vetoed by a Democratic governor or died in committee.
What’s the status of the system?
An attempt to change the state's electoral college system failed Wednesday night on an 8-36 vote. GOP state Sen. Julie Slama also filed an amendment to an unrelated bill to change the law Wednesday, but lawmakers rejected the amendment and argued it was not relevant enough to be added to the legislation.
April 18 is the last day in the state’s 2024 legislative session and time is running out to make the changes for the November general presidential election. There appears to be few paths forward to pass the measure, but Gov. Jim Pillen is making a push for state legislators to bring it for another vote.
He argued in a statement that a winner-takes-all system would put “Nebraska into line with 48 of our fellow states, better reflect the founders’ intent, and ensure our state speaks with one unified voice in presidential elections.”
Maine is the only other state that does not follow the winner-takes-all system.
What has Trump said?
Trump has urged Nebraska lawmakers to ram through the measure, despite the tight timeframe they are under.
“Most Nebraskans have wanted to go back to this system for a very long time, because it’s what 48 other States do - It’s what the Founders intended, and it’s right for Nebraska,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “Thank you Governor for your bold leadership. Let’s hope the Senate does the right thing.”
The former president hasn’t made a similar push to change Maine’s electoral college system, which tends to benefit Republican presidential candidates.
Similar to Nebraska, Maine allocates two electoral votes to the state’s popular vote winner and one electoral vote to the winner of each congressional district. Maine’s 2nd congressional district, which includes much of the northern part of the state, typically votes more conservative. Trump won the district and it’s electoral vote in 2016 and 2020.
How important are Nebraska’s electoral votes?
In 2020, Biden won 306 electoral votes compared to Trump’s 232.
In 2016, Trump won 304 electoral votes compared to Hillary Clinton’s 227.
A candidate needs to win 270 electoral votes to win the presidential race.
Contribution: Maya Marchel Hoff, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump wants to change Nebraska's electoral voting system. Here's why.
