2008 Woodie Awards
STAFF EDITORIAL: Splitting electoral votes benefits Nebraska
Issue date: 10/6/08 Section: Opinion
Last night, Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin spoke at a rally in Omaha that electrified supporters.
What does this mean for Nebraska? Two things: First, the electoral vote allocated to Nebraska's second congressional district is "in play" - it could go to either John McCain or Barack Obama on Election Day. Second, it means that Nebraska's unique system of allocating electoral votes by district, rather than by statewide popular vote, is working.
When the allocation system was put into place in 1991, it was designed to give Nebraskans greater representation at the national level. Yesterday, we saw the fruits of that plan.
If, like other states, all of Nebraska's electoral votes went to the statewide popular vote winner, Gov. Palin would have never campaigned here. The relatively Democratic lean of the second congressional district, which includes Omaha, would be overwhelmed by the Republican orientation of the rest of the state. Nebraska's five electoral votes would be "in the bag" for the Republican candidate.
The benefits of our electoral vote distribution aren't limited to Republicans.
Barack Obama's campaign has been targeting the second district heavily. 15 paid staffers run one field office in midtown Omaha, while the campaign just announced on Friday that it will open a second office in north Omaha on Wednesday.
Obama's paid staff is bolstered by an energized group of volunteers working to register new voters.
While John McCain's campaign lacks any paid staff in Nebraska, he does have a strong core of volunteers who are working hard to get out his message.
Both Republicans and Democrats are getting involved in the political process - always a good thing for a democratic society. New voters are getting involved, and Nebraska is getting national attention.
There are some who want to change this. Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman, as well as Republican party chief Mark Quandahl, want to move to a winner-take-all system for Nebraska's voters.
This is dangerously undemocratic.
While we recognize that Nebraska is unique (Maine is the only other state that splits its electoral votes as we do), this has obviously given our small state an edge. You won't see McCain or Obama stumping in South Dakota or Kansas, and with good reason.
We urge all Nebraskans to think about the value of our system. We've gotten national attention, national importance, campaign stops and excitement. Any change to this system will come from our state senators in the Unicameral.
Regardless of how you feel on the issue, we urge you to e-mail or call your state senator and tell them what you think. Senators actually listen - especially those who are up for re-election this year.
After all, it's your vote - regardless of how they decide to use it.
staffed@dailynebraskan.com
What does this mean for Nebraska? Two things: First, the electoral vote allocated to Nebraska's second congressional district is "in play" - it could go to either John McCain or Barack Obama on Election Day. Second, it means that Nebraska's unique system of allocating electoral votes by district, rather than by statewide popular vote, is working.
When the allocation system was put into place in 1991, it was designed to give Nebraskans greater representation at the national level. Yesterday, we saw the fruits of that plan.
If, like other states, all of Nebraska's electoral votes went to the statewide popular vote winner, Gov. Palin would have never campaigned here. The relatively Democratic lean of the second congressional district, which includes Omaha, would be overwhelmed by the Republican orientation of the rest of the state. Nebraska's five electoral votes would be "in the bag" for the Republican candidate.
The benefits of our electoral vote distribution aren't limited to Republicans.
Barack Obama's campaign has been targeting the second district heavily. 15 paid staffers run one field office in midtown Omaha, while the campaign just announced on Friday that it will open a second office in north Omaha on Wednesday.
Obama's paid staff is bolstered by an energized group of volunteers working to register new voters.
While John McCain's campaign lacks any paid staff in Nebraska, he does have a strong core of volunteers who are working hard to get out his message.
Both Republicans and Democrats are getting involved in the political process - always a good thing for a democratic society. New voters are getting involved, and Nebraska is getting national attention.
There are some who want to change this. Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman, as well as Republican party chief Mark Quandahl, want to move to a winner-take-all system for Nebraska's voters.
This is dangerously undemocratic.
While we recognize that Nebraska is unique (Maine is the only other state that splits its electoral votes as we do), this has obviously given our small state an edge. You won't see McCain or Obama stumping in South Dakota or Kansas, and with good reason.
We urge all Nebraskans to think about the value of our system. We've gotten national attention, national importance, campaign stops and excitement. Any change to this system will come from our state senators in the Unicameral.
Regardless of how you feel on the issue, we urge you to e-mail or call your state senator and tell them what you think. Senators actually listen - especially those who are up for re-election this year.
After all, it's your vote - regardless of how they decide to use it.
staffed@dailynebraskan.com
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