RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Some presidential electors in Maryland support changes to the Electoral College after seeing two Democratic presidential candidates in the last 16 years win the U.S. popular vote, but lose the election.
Salome Peters is one of Maryland’s 10 Democratic electors. She believes the Electoral College system should be changed, saying, “We should go with the popular vote, period.”
Virginia’s Democratic members of the Electoral College are all strong supporters of Hillary Clinton. What they’re less sure of is the process they will be a part of next week.
On Monday, the electors will meet at the Virginia Capitol to cast their votes for the next president of the United States. Usually a ceremonial step in the road to the presidency, this year’s meeting of the Electoral College has drawn intense scrutiny.
In interviews with The Associated Press ahead of their meeting, the majority of Virginia’s electors expressed support for changing the Electoral College, an original feature of the Constitution, though they were divided on how to go about doing so.
All but one said with certainty that they plan to vote for Hillary Clinton as they are bound to do.
One elector said he was considering other options as a form of public protests over changes he would like to see in the Democratic party.
Maryland’s electors will gather Monday afternoon in Annapolis. Under the current system, voters support slates of electors who meet to choose the president.
In 2007, Maryland became the first state to approve legislation that would give Maryland’s electoral votes to the winner of the nation’s popular vote. Since then, 10 other states have passed similar legislation.
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