As The Vote Goes In Ohio

Ohio could be the next big state to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact if voters get to decide on it this fall.

Ohioans could vote this fall on a measure to award the presidency to the candidate who wins the national popular vote — regardless of which candidate wins the Buckeye State.

The proposed constitutional amendment, if approved, would bypass the electoral college by apparently authorizing Ohio’s membership in the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.

But several more states still must approve the measure for it to potentially impact the 2020 presidential race between Republican incumbent Donald Trump and a Democratic challenger.

Since 2006, the District of Columbia and 13 states with 184 electoral votes have enacted a popular-vote measure into law. States representing 86 more electoral votes are needed to reach the majority of 270 Electoral College votes to guarantee the most-popular candidate becomes president. Ohio has 18 winner-take-all electoral votes.

It would bring the total closer. If states with pending legislation to join the compact like Florida, Georgia, NC, and another state or two join along with Ohio (like Indiana, Minnesota, Arizona or SC) that will put the total number of electoral votes in the Compact over 270, and if those are the states involved, Clinton would have won in 2016 just based on Florida, NC, Georgia, and Ohio.

How far this will get before Republicans tie it up in legal duct tape, I have no clue.  But it's got a far better shot than abolishing the electoral college, which would take a full Constitutional amendment to overcome.