To the editor:


Voters should email their state legislators, urging support of Senate Bill 62 and House Bill 370.
The current Electoral College “winner-take-all” method, in effect, suggests 100 percent of voters in Virginia back the same candidate in presidential elections. Essentially, all EC votes are awarded to the candidate preferred by voters of more populous inner cities, effectively nullifying votes of county residents.

In 2012, Virginians split the popular vote, with just over 51 percent to Obama and more than 47 percent to Romney, but 100 percent of Virginia’s Electoral College votes (all 13) went to Obama, as if every voter in the state had supported him.

Obama carried cities like Richmond, Norfolk and Fairfax, but Romney was the preferred candidate in over 80 percent of Virginia counties. 
SB62 would give county voters a real voice. The electoral votes would be allocated according to the proportional share of total votes cast statewide. If this setup had been in place in 2012, Obama would have received seven Electoral College votes from Virginia (not all 13), and Romney would have received six (instead of zero). 
In state and U.S. Senate elections, third-party candidates (who might even be supported by a major party wishing to fracture voters of the opposing major party) can result in the election of a candidate most citizens voted against.

Under the terms of HB370, a candidate would have to receive at least 50 percent of the total votes cast to be elected. If this plan had been in place for the last election for governor, a run-off election would have been required between McAuliffe (47.75 percent) and Cuccinelli (45.23 percent).

Voters should visit www.virginiageneralassembly.gov and follow the link in the top-center to easily email their legislators.

At this link, voters also can read the details of SB62 and HB370, as well as bills concerning firearms, motor vehicles, immigration, schools and many other matters important to the commonwealth.

James Milroy

Chesterfield