Nebraska Republicans Consider Law Change That Could Affect Election Outcome

Former President Donald Trump is making a strategic move to secure one of Nebraska’s Electoral College votes, which could be pivotal in determining the outcome of the presidential election in November.

The Republican nominee is engaging with Nebraska state legislators, aiming to advance a bill through the unicameral legislature. This legislation would modify the state’s electoral vote allocation system and could potentially eliminate Vice President Kamala Harris’ opportunity to win one of Nebraska’s five electoral votes, according to reports from the Nebraska Examiner and other news outlets.

If Trump succeeds, this maneuver could significantly reshape the electoral map, requiring Harris to win another state in order to secure the presidency.

Nebraska and Maine stand out as the only states not following the traditional winner-take-all approach for distributing electoral votes. In Nebraska, two of the five electoral votes are assigned to the candidate who receives the most votes statewide, while the remaining three are awarded based on the winners of each of the state’s three congressional districts.

Despite Nebraska’s consistent Republican lean, its 2nd Congressional District, which encompasses Omaha, has occasionally leaned Democratic in recent presidential elections. Notably, it supported former President Barack Obama in 2008 and President Joe Biden in 2020.

This single electoral vote could be crucial for Harris in her quest for the 270 votes needed to win. If she secures victories in the key battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, along with that one vote from Nebraska, she could clinch a majority without needing to win any of the pivotal Sun Belt states like Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, or North Carolina.

Current polls suggest that Harris is either tied or leading in the “blue wall” states while trailing in several Sun Belt battlegrounds.

For years, some Nebraska Republicans have sought to change the method of splitting electoral votes by congressional district, a system that has been in place since 1991. Previous attempts to alter the system have been thwarted, either by being vetoed by a Democratic governor or failing to advance in committee.

The unique electoral system in Nebraska garnered significant national attention in April when conservatives, including Trump, rallied for Republican Governor Jim Pillen to push legislation to restore a winner-take-all format. Although Republican lawmakers hold the majority, the effort failed to secure the necessary 33 votes to proceed, and now there are discussions about calling a special session if sufficient support can be found.

Pillen expressed his commitment to evaluating legislative support for the winner-take-all system in a possible pre-election special session. “At this time, I have not yet received concrete and public indications that 33 senators would vote for WTA,” he stated. “If that changes, I will enthusiastically call a special session.”

In an effort to persuade some Republican state senators to support the winner-take-all approach, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham held a private meeting with the Nebraska governor, emphasizing his desire for the law to change. “I want the law changed. I’ve made no qualms about it,” Graham said.

Omaha Senator Mike McDonnell, a pivotal figure in the Nebraska legislature, recently switched his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican after being censured by the state Democratic Party for backing anti-abortion legislation. Despite his new position in the Republican majority, McDonnell remains staunchly opposed to voting for the winner-take-all legislation, reaffirming his stance this week.

The current Republican initiative to shift Nebraska to a winner-take-all electoral system is distinctly different from past efforts, as Maine is no longer in a position to counteract it. Earlier, there was speculation that if Nebraska altered its system, Maine would follow suit to neutralize Trump’s additional electoral vote gained from one of its congressional districts in 2020.

However, Maine’s capacity to amend its electoral vote distribution is now limited, as it requires 90 days for any new legislation to become effective after being enacted. This timeline would not allow for any changes to be in place before the Electoral College convenes on December 17.

Source: USA Today