Lincoln, Nebraska – Former President Donald Trump and Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen are advocating for a change in the way Nebraska allocates its Electoral College votes, a move that could potentially benefit Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Currently, Nebraska and Maine distribute one electoral vote to the candidate who wins each congressional district, unlike most states that award all their Electoral College votes to the statewide winner of the presidential vote.
Republican efforts to alter this law stem from the fact that Democratic presidential candidates have managed to secure one Electoral College vote from the Omaha-based congressional district in this otherwise red state. Bolstered by GOP heavyweights, pressure is mounting on Nebraska’s nonpartisan Legislature to implement this change before the upcoming presidential election.
Governor Pillen and President Trump have swiftly thrown their support behind the proposed bill, urging lawmakers to pass it. Trump, in particular, emphasized the importance of returning Nebraska’s Electoral Votes to a Winner-Take-All System, aligning with the sentiments of many Nebraskans who have long desired this change.
The potential impact of this shift in Nebraska’s Electoral College voting system lies in the broader context of the presidential race. With the electoral landscape evolving since the 2020 election, battleground state polling indicates that states like Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Nevada, and Wisconsin are within reach for the Republican Party in the upcoming election.
Despite the Republican-led initiative, uncertainties loom regarding the bill’s passage due to logistical challenges and dwindling support as the legislative session nears its end. Critics, including former Obama campaign manager Jim Messina, have decried the proposed change, labeling it as a partisan ploy aimed at securing an advantage for Republicans in a crucial election season.
The fate of this bill hangs in the balance as procedural hurdles and political divisions within the Legislature present obstacles to its enactment. With only a limited timeframe remaining before the legislative session concludes, the likelihood of this bill coming to fruition remains uncertain. Nebraska’s decades-long tussle over how to distribute Electoral College votes highlights the enduring relevance and complexity of state-level electoral policies.