Griffo introducing bill to change New York’s Electoral College vote distribution

Following the recent Electoral College vote, New York State Sen. Joseph Griffo, R-I-C-Rome, announced today that he will be introducing legislation that would change the way New York State’s Electoral College votes are awarded in presidential elections.

Currently, New York assigns its Electoral College votes on a winner-take-all basis. However, many New Yorkers, especially those in upstate, are frustrated by the state’s approach and often feel that their vote carries less weight than those in other states.

To address this issue, Sen. Griffo will introduce the New York State Electoral College Reform Act. The bill would allocate the state’s Electoral College votes proportionally by congressional districts similar to what is done in Nebraska and Maine. It would ensure that presidential candidates no longer take the residents of the state for granted during a general election.

Additionally, no mechanism currently exists that would prevent an Electoral College elector from voting for a candidate who did not win the state’s popular vote. Sen. Griffo’s legislation would change that by creating a faithful elector clause that would prevent Electoral College Voters from assigning their votes in contrast to the voters of the district they represent.

“Unfortunately, New York is either ignored or taken for granted as the candidates instead fight over the few winner-take-all battleground states that historically have decided who is elected president,” Sen. Griffo said. “This legislation will make New York a relevant and potential battleground state due to its Electoral College numbers and will empower all New Yorkers by making their vote for president more significant.”

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