National Popular Vote Passes in Oregon Senate
Thursday, April 11, 2019 at 2:02PM ;)
By David Jaques, The Roseburg Beacon
The Oregon Senate passed SB 870, the National Popular Vote act, which will bind Oregon’s Electors to the national popular vote. Many consider this an end run around the Electoral College. Instead of the winner of the popular vote in the State of Oregon getting the electors, they will be tied to the national popular vote if the Oregon House passes SB 870.
The senate vote is being heralded as bipartisan, due to the fact that two democrats voted against the bill and two republicans voted in favor.
The Oregon Senate voted Tuesday April 9, and the count was 17 aye to 12 nay with one vote excused. Two republicans; Chief Sponsor Senator Brian Boquist SD12 from Dallas Oregon, and Senator Chuck Thomsen SD 26 from Hood River were the only two republicans who voted aye.
Senator Bill Hansell, republican SD 29 from Athena was excused and therefore didn’t vote. According to Hansell’s staff he was testifying before the California legislative Assembly instead and was absent for the critical vote. Had those three republican votes been against the SB 870, the NPV bill, the count would have been 15-15 and the bill would have failed to pass.
The Oregon House will take up the matter next. With the House split of 38 democrats to 22 republicans there is very little likelihood of the NPV failing to pass in the House. If it passes and is signed into law Oregon will be the 16th jurisdiction to pass the plan, joining California, New York, New Jersey and Illinois, which will have the effect of giving them additional electoral votes, and thereby potentially controlling the outcome of future presidential elections.