Maryland May Join Pact to Bypass Electoral College*

Apr. 2 – The Maryland state senate recently passed a bill that would allow the nationwide popular vote – instead of the Electoral College – to determine presidential elections. The bill has been passed on to the state’s House of Representatives.

• California Agrees to Abolish Electoral College, If Other States Will (Aug 31, 2006)

In passing the bill, state senators voted for Maryland to join a multi-state agreement that would require states to bypass the Electoral College and award its electoral votes to whichever presidential candidate won the country's popular vote. As previously reported by The NewStandard, the agreement goes into effect when enough states collectively holding the majority of electoral votes ratify the scheme.

This year, Arkansas, Colorado and Hawaii joined California in signing the agreement.