PARSIPPANY, NJ – Some U.S. states are moving to bind their electors to whichever presidential campaign wins the national popular vote.
Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce (R-26) wants New Jersey to go in another direction.
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She is pushing an amendment to New Jersey’s constitution which, if it was ever adopted, would award New Jersey’s fourteen electoral votes by congressional district. The Assemblywoman says it would restore New Jersey’s relevance in national politics.
“In presidential election years, New Jersey becomes the drop-in state; the national candidates fly into Newark Airport for a quick fundraiser; board the plane three hours later with hundreds of thousands of dollars and never talk to our people or understand our issues,” said DeCroce. “National politicians use New Jersey like an ATM machine. Approval of this amendment will force national candidates work harder for our votes.”
The numerical difference?
New Jersey currently awards its electoral votes to the statewide popular vote winner, translating to Hillary Clinton winning all 14 electoral votes in 2016. No Republican presidential nominee has carried New Jersey since 1988.
Under DeCroce’s system, Trump would’ve won 5 electoral votes here in 2016 (having carried the vote in NJ-02, NJ-03, NJ-04, NJ-05, and NJ-11). She says it’s also a matter of fundamental fairness for the state’s 1.6 million Trump voters.
“I believe in the Electoral College system created by our nation’s founders because it protects the integrity of states and reflects the will of the people. But I also believe that the winner-take-all system disenfranchises many voters,” added DeCroce. “For those who are concerned about elections reflecting the will of the people, I believe apportioning votes by the results of congressional district elections in national elections truly does reflect the will of voters and it respects our U.S. Constitution.”
The amendment is unlikely to get far in Democrat-dominated Trenton. In fact, Democrats have passed an even less-likely-to-succeed effort to bar President Trump from the 2020 ballot unless he releases his tax returns.
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