Pennsylvania lawmakers are going to have to do a better job of selling legislation covering a change in how the state decides who receives electoral votes. A recent poll revealed that 52 percent of respondents think the commonwealth should stick with the winner-takes-all formula with just 40 percent interested in awarding votes based on election results from congressional districts.
Republicans who plan to hold hearings on the changes in the coming month feel their plan will more accurately reflect the will of the voters in Pennsylvania. In 2008, President Barack Obama won the entire 21 electoral votes from the Keystone State due to piling up large margins of victory in Philadelphia, under the Republican legislation he would have only won 11 of the electoral votes.
Democrats have carried Pennsylvania in every presidential election since 1988, which means Republicans have a bit of a reason to make the change. Still if things keep heading in the current direction for President Obama, Republicans might not have to hurry with the changes.
A Quinnipiac University Poll finds that President Obama holds a 2 percentage point lead over Republican Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney. Given the 2.7 percent margin of error in the poll, that is one close race. President Obama is also tagged with an approval rating of 43 percent in Pennsylvania, but even more worrisome for his administration is that 51 percent of voters believe he does not deserve a second term in the White House.
The potential shift in how Pennsylvania doles out electoral votes also affects swing-state status. Just over half of the respondents believe that dividing up the 20 votes will diminish the power Pennsylvania has in the election. While the legislation has a long journey through the state government, it seems to have an even longer task at winning public opinion.
Whether or not Republicans can push the changes through quickly enough to have them in place for the 2012 election will depend on them gaining enough momentum to pass the bill quickly. However, the poll results show that many residents are unsure about the change, which could alter the landscape in Harrisburg once again. One thing seems certain for both political parties: it is going to be a bumpy year or so.
Jason Gallagher is a long-time Pennsylvania resident. He has experiences in trends and developments in many regions from having lived in many parts of the Keystone State, and currently resides in the Pittsburgh Area.
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