Hochul calls for abolition of Electoral College

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) on Tuesday called for the Electoral College to be abolished, arguing the system is outdated.

"We, the people, forming a more perfect union, and I strongly believe that the people of New York state and the United States of America, should and must have their votes count equally, and that the popular vote should prevail," the Democratic governor said as she presided over proceedings of the New York state Electoral College in Albany.

"It's time to amend the Constitution and relegate the institution of the Electoral College to the history books," Hochul said

Hochul argued that the Electoral College gives less populated states an "outsized influence" in picking the president.

"Unfairly, less populated states have outsized influence, and in effect, the votes of their residents count more than the residents of a state like New York," Hochul said.

She added that "this convoluted process also leads candidates for president to spend an inordinate amount of time in a few swing states, rather than appealing to the voters of our entire country."

Hochul also mentioned that "in the worst case scenario" under the system, candidates can win the presidency even if they don't win the popular vote — which last happened in 2016 when Democrat Hillary Clinton beat President-elect Trump by nearly 2.9 million votes, though the Republican candidate won the electoral vote.

"And in the worst case scenario, it means that a person can become president of the United States, even if he or she did not win the popular vote. Something I recall as I sat in this room, right there, next to President Bill Clinton when we were both electors in 2016," Hochul said.

"In short, the Electoral College does not contribute to the overriding objectives set forth in our great Constitution," she added.

Hochul's remarks come as Senate Democrats earlier this week unveiled a constitutional amendment to abolish the Electoral College system.

Sens. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii,) Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.), three prominent progressive voices in the upper chamber, argued it’s time to “restore democracy” by casting aside the Electoral College and allowing for the direct election of presidents through the popular vote alone.

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