AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine is one step closer to awarding its electoral votes for president to the winner of the national popular vote. The Senate approved the bill on Wednesday after the House of Representatives passed it by one vote the day prior.
Gov. Mills has 10 days to either sign, veto, or allow the bill to become law without her signature.
Since 2007, 16 states and the District of Columbia have agreed to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. That group makes up 205 electoral votes. 11 other states, including Maine, are considering switching to this.
"I think everyone understands the idea of one vote, one person, one vote. This is the time for us to adopt that for voting for our President of the United States," Rep. Arthur Bell, D-Yarmouth, said.
If the bill becomes law and the compact takes effect, Maine would give its four electoral college votes to the presidential candidate who wins the national popular vote.
"I don't know how you could do a popular vote if you have 50 states doing 50 different elections," one representative said during the House meeting on Tuesday.
Representative Billy Bob Faulkingham said he considers Maine's current electoral college system "gold standard." Maine allocates two electoral votes to the state's winner of the presidential election and one to the winner of both congressional districts.
Since every state handles their own elections, Faulkingham said he thinks there's too many different factors and each state has their own voting laws. He also argues this system would silence rural voters in Maine's second congressional district.
"A little state like Maine with 1.3 or 1.4 million people is just going to get absorbed by those bigger states. They're going to control the vote," Faulkingham said.
With the Senate and House's approval, the bill will go to the governor. Gov. Mills has not said where she stands on the proposal.
"It’s fair and its in the interest of not only Mainers but all of America," Rep. Sam Zager, D-Portland, said. "I know that she will look at it from all different angles, and I leave it up to her to decide what she thinks is in the interest."