The National Popular vote would erase the votes, voices, and the relevance of state like New Hampshire. That hasn’t kept our Democrats from trying to do that. The same is true for other states, including our neighbors in Maine.
Back in May, the Maine State Senate advanced the measure. Thankfully for Mainers, the lower chamber nixed it.
In Maine, after the compact was voted down by a bipartisan legislative coalition, the Free Maine Campaign, founded by former state Sen. Eric Brakey, stated, “This isn’t about Republican versus Democrat. This about whether we #SaveMainesVoice or give our voting power to big cities like NYC and Chicago.”
With a population of just over 1.3 million the primary system would change. Candidates would only visit large liberal cities. Sprawling urban areas. New York (8 million), Chicago (2.7 million), Los Angeles (10 million). Candidates and their policies would appeal to those voters.
New Hampshire would disappear from the electoral map. Votes more easily had in tightly packed urban areas would make more sense for candidates. Winning one of those would guarantee them our Electoral votes without ever running an ad, talking to an editorial board, or stepping foot in the state.
This year it was HB541. Next session it will likely be reborn. They will try again. Voters should continue to question why elected officials in New Hampshire want to erase the Granite State from having any influence in presidential elections of any sort?
