SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5599

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

As Reported by Senate Committee On:

Government Operations & Elections, February 23, 2009

Title: An act relating to approving the entry of Washington into the agreement among the states to elect the president by national popular vote on the same terms and conditions as entered into by the states of Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, and New Jersey.

Brief Description: Approving the entry of Washington into the agreement among the states to elect the president by national popular vote.

Sponsors: Senators McDermott, Oemig, Kohl-Welles, Pridemore, Marr, Brown, Tom, Kline, McAuliffe, Regala and Shin.

Majority Report: Do pass.

Signed by Senators Fairley, Chair; Oemig, Vice Chair; McDermott and Pridemore.

Minority Report: Do not pass.

Signed by Senator Roach, Ranking Minority Member.

Background: Candidates for President and Vice-President of the United States are not elected by direct popular vote. The candidates are elected by the electoral college, whose delegates are chosen by the states. Article II, Section 1 of the United States Constitution yields to states the absolute and exclusive authority to determine the manner of awarding their electoral votes. Each state has the same number of presidential electors as it has United States Representatives and Senators combined. In Washington, the Presidential candidate who receives the most votes statewide during the popular vote wins all the electoral votes in the state.

Summary of Bill: The awarding of Washington State electoral votes will be to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in the country as a whole. This act only goes into effect when states, which possess a majority of the electoral votes in the country, have entered into the same agreement.