Former President Donald Trump is pushing Republican lawmakers in Nebraska to change the state’s electoral college system to a “winner takes all” approach, which could impact President Joe Biden’s chances of re-election. Currently, Nebraska allocates two electoral votes to the statewide winner and the rest based on congressional district results, allowing for Democratic candidates to potentially pick up votes. Trump hopes to swing the system in his favor as the 2024 election is expected to be close.
Efforts to change Nebraska’s electoral college system have been ongoing since it was established in 1991, but have been unsuccessful due to vetoed bills by Democratic governors or committees rejecting proposed changes. A recent attempt to alter the system failed in a vote, and time is running out before the legislative session ends on April 18. Governor Jim Pillen is advocating for another vote, stating that a winner-takes-all system would align Nebraska with most other states and better reflect the founders’ intentions.
Trump has encouraged Nebraska lawmakers to push through the measure despite the tight timeframe, arguing that it is what most Nebraskans want and is in accordance with the founders’ original intent. He has not made a similar push for Maine, which also has a unique electoral college system that benefits Republican candidates. Maine allocates two electoral votes to the statewide winner and one to each congressional district winner, similar to Nebraska.
In the 2020 election, Biden won 306 electoral votes compared to Trump’s 232, while in 2016, Trump secured 304 electoral votes against Hillary Clinton’s 227. With the need to reach 270 electoral votes to win the presidential race, Nebraska’s electoral votes could play a crucial role in determining the outcome of future elections. It remains to be seen if the proposed changes to the state’s electoral college system will be approved before the upcoming election.
