Nebraska governor calls for legislature to reinstate ‘winner-take-all’ electoral system

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (R), endorsed the switch to a winner-takes-all system of Electoral College voting on Tuesday. This change would bring Nebraska in line with other states and could tip 2024’s election.

Nebraska and Maine are the only states that assign Electoral College vote by district. In most elections, Republicans get two votes and Democrats one, but the third vote is often closely contested.

In January, state legislators proposed a bill to implement the “winner-takes-all” system. Pillen supported this measure.

Pillen stated that the bill would “bring Nebraska in line with 48 other states, better represent the founders’ intentions, and ensure that our state speaks with a unified voice during presidential elections.” “I urge my fellow Republicans to bring this bill before me so that I can sign it as law.”

Nebraska Freedom Coalition (a conservative activist group) praised Pillen’s announcement. The group also stated that it believes the bill will be put to a vote on the floor of the legislature “very soon.”

“Thank you Governor. “Pillen!” the group wrote in a tweet on X (formerly Twitter). “As usual, the battle will be won or lost by securing a few of those R votes. Let’s do it!”

The bill could lose President Biden a vote in the Electoral College if it were to be implemented for the election of 2024. In 2020, former President Trump received 58 percent in Nebraska. This means that the GOP candidate will receive the entire state’s Electoral College votes under a winner-takes-all system.