Show REP LAWRENCE J J. J BURTON BURTO N Congress took an historic c step Thursday September 18 when the House of Representatives Representatives Representatives Represent Represent- by a vote of to 70 passed a measure which would woul d change the process by which a President is elected National and local polls had indicated public support for this proposal but it wasn't until after ex extensive extensive extensive ex- ex hearings and weeks o of f debate in the House that the measure came to a final vote Actually it is quite rare for resolutions calling for tor amendment amendment amend amend- amendment ment of the Constitution to muster muster muster mus mus- ter the two-thirds two approval re re- re The passed House-passed bill now goes to the Senate where It is sure to meet opposition from Senators of southern and small states Should the Senate pass the bill and It too must do so by bya a two-thirds two vote then each state legislature will have the opportunity to consider the amendment There are 99 legIslative legislative leg leg- bodies from 50 states which can debate and then ap approve approve ap- ap approve prove or disapprove this pro pro- The Nebraska legislature legislature legisla legisla- ture tore is a unicameral body the only one of Its kind All theother theother the theother other state legislatures have two houses Should three- three fourths of ot the states ratify the direct di vote amendment it will become law Looking back over the years there have been well over constitutional amendments proposed proposed proposed pro pro- posed through resolutions introduced In Introduced in- in in the United States Congress In fact tact some 1500 of them were Introduced in thelast the thelast thelast last decade alone I These figures figures figures fig fig- ures include of course many duplications and variations of ot proposals The overwhelming majority of these resolutions remain in a state of obscurity Report From Washington and end up in oblivion Some reach the committee level of consideration but tall fall to get the necessary two thirds approval of each house The action taken by the House if It followed by similar action in the Senate and the ratification of three-fourths three of the state legislatures will abolIsh abolish abolish abol- abol ish the electoral college process process pro- pro process cess of electing Presidents and provide for their election bythe by the direct vote of the people The Presidential winner would have to receive at least 40 percent of the national popular vote Should no candidate receive receive re- re that percentage the winner winner winner win- win ner would be decided by a runoff runoff run run- off oU election between the two top candidates The House action last week marks the first time that either body of Congress has approved approved- much less even considered legislation to provide for the direct election of the President Only twice since 1804 when the amendment re revised the electoral college system had the House considered any basic electoral reform In 1826 and in 1950 debate started on such measures but the House rejected re rejected rejected re- re the idea In both cases The measure if It finally passed and ratified would also mean that the House of Representatives Representatives Rep Rep- would no longer decide elections when no candidate receives a majority of the electoral votes This could have occurred last year when George Wallace was making his race for the White WhiteHouse House House a a race that frightened many Congressmen Into voting for tor the direct vote in Thursdays Thursday's House action action Actually the House has decided de decided de- de decided a presidential election twice when no candidate received re received re- re received a majority of the electoral elec- elec toral torn votes It happened In 1800 and 1824 This amendment would terminate the system whereby a states state's entire electoral electoral electoral elec elec- toral vote goes to the candidate recel receiving ving percent of the total popular vote Three times in American history has ident dent lost the popular vote yet won through the electoral col- col lege This happened In 1824 1876 and 1888 In 1824 Andrew Andrew An- An Andrew drew Jackson won a plurality of both the popular and electoral electoral elec elec- toral torn votes but still lost out in the House because of a deal between John QuIncy Adams I and Henry Clay the deal I making Adams president and Clay secretary of state Earlier In this report I said I that the House passed this i measure to 70 I was one of ot the 70 voting Nay I did t so because in my opinion a i vote for tor direct popular election election election elec elec- tion 1 if successful means that 1 Utah will not have as much i voice in future presidential elections as it does now Compared Compared Compared Com Com- pared with New York for tor In Instance Instance instance In- In i stance Utah's ratio under the electoral college system is 1 f to 10 By the direct vote method i its ratio with New York would 1 be 1 to 18 thus cutting our presidential voice almost In 1 half halt Maybe this doesn't mean r much to some people in larger states but it causes me real concern It means that Utah utah z and 33 other states states will will begetting be begetting begetting g getting smaller and less influential Influential in the eyes of the nation I would hope therefore the direct vote amendment pass pasa the Senate that our our ur State Legislature Legislature Leg Leg- as well as those in ill other small states will take a long hard look at the eventual eventual eventual even even- result of ot such a decision I recognize the elec electoral toral reform and I 1 supported the district plan which would accomplish the purpose with the least change from the federalIsm federalIsm federal- federal federalism Ism that has served us so well wellIn wellIn wellin In the past Under the district distrIct district dis dis- plan a presidential candidate candidate candidate candi candi- date would win one electoral vote for each Congressional district he carried plus two for tor each state he carried This plan Is workable and considerably less radical than the direct election plan I hope that the Senate will move in this direction direction direction tion In Its deliberations on the Important issue of electoral reform |