Note: This story has been updated to include comment from the Yes on National Popular Vote committee.
LANSING, MI — Awarding Michigan’s 15 electoral votes to whichever candidate wins the national popular vote in presidential elections would be “disastrous,” dozens of Republican lawmakers argue in a letter opposing a potential ballot initiative.
Fifty-seven members of the Michigan House and Senate, including Republican leadership in each chamber, signed a joint letter last week to express opposition to the National Popular Vote initiative.
While backers of the initiative argue the change would empower every voter in every state, Republicans said in the letter that Michigan’s choice for president “must only be determined by Michiganders.”
“The so-called ‘National Popular Vote’ proposal would permanently disenfranchise ever voter in the state, forcing Michigan to cast its presidential elector voters for whoever wins the national popular vote — even if the voters of Michigan overwhelmingly chose someone else,” lawmakers said in the letter. “It’s a disastrous idea, and one that should remain on the scrapheap of American history.”
Should the “Yes on National Popular Vote” initiative succeed, Michigan’s 15 electoral votes would be committed to the presidential candidate who won the majority of votes nationwide if enough states representing at least 270 electoral votes agree to participate.
Under the current system, the candidate with a majority of 538 total electoral votes wins the presidency, even if the other candidate wins the popular vote nationally. In 2016, President Donald Trump won the majority of electoral votes even though Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton won the popular vote.
Currently, 15 states and the District of Columbia have enacted similar national popular vote legislation.
The effort is led by former Michigan Republican Party Chair Saul Anuzis and former Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer. Both say tying the country’s electoral votes to the popular vote would give every state the opportunity to be relevant during the election cycle.
“The practical matter today is, we basically elect the president of the battleground states of America,” Anuzis said in September. “That’s not good for the process and that’s not why the Electoral College was designed.”
In a statement issued by the Yes on National Popular Vote committee, Anuzis called the proposal “an American idea” supported by Democrats, Republicans and Independents for its principle of “one person, one vote,” to presidential elections.
“As a proud Republican, I’m confident that our ideas can prevail, and Republicans can win elections under a National Popular Vote model,” Anuzis said in a statement. “It also means every vote in every election counts, and that every voter, whether Republican or Democrat, would have their vote directly counted towards their preferred candidate for president.”
Michigan Freedom Fund executive director Tori Sachs applauded lawmakers for signing the letter, saying the Lansing-based conservative group is proud to see so many members of the state Legislature “standing up to ensure Michigan voters keep their voice in presidential elections.”
“The ‘National Popular Vote’ is an attempt by liberals in California and New York to disenfranchise and silence Michigan voters. It is imperative that the candidate who receives Michigan’s electoral votes is determined by Michiganders — and not by voters in other parts of the country.”
Sachs pointed to more than 7.2 million voters in New York City and Los Angeles being well beyond Michigan’s record-breaking statewide turnout of 5.5 million votes.
The letter, spearheaded by state Rep. Matt Hall, R-Marshall, and Sen. Aric Nesbitt, R-Lawton, asserts that the proposal would give larger states more power.
“This proposal would give big cities on the East and West Coast veto power over voters in Michigan. It would give them veto power over your vote, your children’s votes and grandchildren’s votes,” the lawmakers said.
Without support of the Republican-led state Legislature, if the National Popular Vote petition collects enough valid signatures, it could head to the ballot for a statewide vote.
The petition still needs to go through the state’s process which requires approval from the Michigan Board of Canvassers before the committee can begin collecting signatures.
READ MORE FROM MLIVE:
Conservative group begins collecting signatures for petition to tighten Michigan voting laws
Petition to tighten Michigan voting rules can begin collecting signatures after OK from canvassers
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