Show On Or- Our Way a to Electoral Reform It begins to look as if we are at last laston laston laston on the way to making a change in our antiquated and dangerous electoral college college college col col- col- col lege system which will make it impossible impossible impossible sible for the will of a majority to be overruled in a presidential election The senate has approved a proposed constitutional amendment by a vote of 64 i to 27 safely above the required two- two thirds margin The proposal now goes to the house which is expected also to approve approve approve ap ap- ap- ap prove it Then the amendment would have to be approved by three-fourths three of the states to become effective There are substantial hurdles in the way of electoral college reform but there are several good reasons why it should and may mayvin win vin approval It would assure that the publics public's wishes would not be overruled by the queer electoral college system It would stimulate wider ider interest in presidential elections by assuring that every vote would count in the final out out- come It would encourage real nationwide nationwide nationwide nation nation- wide party vote contests Here is the way the new system if adopted would work Each state would still have the same number of electoral votes it has under the present system that system that is the whole number number number num num- ber of a states state's senators and tives The number of electoral votes ranges from 3 Wyoming Nevada Delaware Delaware Delaware Dela Dela- ware Vermont to 47 New York But instead of the whole state electoral vote wrote going to whichever candidate has a plurality plurality plurality plu plu- as now the electoral vote would be divided on the same percentage basis as the popular vote in each state was di di- di vided Thus for example if the people of Utah voted to in a presidential presidential presidential election three fifths of the people people people peo peo- would be voting for one candidate and two-fifths two for the other Under our present system all of Utah's four electoral electoral electoral elec elec- toral votes would go to the first candi candi- date Under the new system the first candid candidate candidate can can- canI I did ate would receive two and two-fifths two electoral votes the second candidate one and three Certainly that seems much fairer It would assure that all votes would be effective effective effective ef ef- ef- ef on a national basis and not lost because of the margin of a few votes in one state It would encourage the develop develop- ment of political opposition in those states which are usually staunchly Democratic Democratic Dem Dem- as in the south or staunchly Republican as in New England Electoral reform has been long over over- due The present proposal sounds fair fairand fairand fairand and reasonable We Ve hope the house will vill join the senate in putting the question up to the legislatures of the various states for a decision |