Republican Electoral Vote Theft Scam Advances in Virginia

The Daily Banter Headline Grab. From Richmond Times-Dispatch:

Legislation that would apportion Virginia’s electoral votes by the winner of each congressional district, instead of the current winner-take-all system, emerged from a Senate subcommittee today without a recommendation.

The vote in a Privileges and Elections subcommittee was 3-3, with Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel, R-Fauquier, siding with the two Democrats on the six-member panel to produce a tie. The legislation now heads to the full committee, where a 10-5 GOP majority is likely to send it to the floor of the full Senate for a vote.

Sen. Charles W. Carrico Sr., R-Grayson, the sponsor of Senate Bill 723, said he brought the bill because his rural constituents feel “that their voices are not heard” in presidential elections. He said currently only Maine and Nebraska award electoral votes based on the turnout in each congressional district. Maine and Nebraska also award the statewide winner two electoral votes.

Sen. John S. Edwards, D-Roanoke said switching to an apportionment system has the potential for “a really skewed election” in which a presidential candidate could win the popular vote in the state but in a state like Virginia, still lose eight or nine of the state’s 13 electoral votes based on congressional district results.