National popular vote

It's been a while since we checked in on state legislation designed to instill the national popular vote as the method for selecting the president.

Maryland was the first state to enter this interstate compact which pledges a state's electoral votes to the national popular vote winner, thus when enough states equaling 270 delegates in the Electoral College pass the bill, the popular vote automatically go to the national popular vote winner.

No one thought much of Maryland's 10 electors at the time, except for the group's organizers who had had a string of defeats. But in December, New Jersey brought another 15 to the table. And in recent months, both Illinois and Hawaii (where a gubernatorial veto was overridden) have signed their bills into law, bringing the total to 50 electoral votes, and thusly needing another 220 to displace the Electoral College.

Long story short: what once seemed like another trivial attempt could end up a trophy on Gov. Martin O'Malley's mantle in re-making the way we elect presidents.

In a tight vote, the Maine state Senate passed a bill to join the National Popular Vote compact, reports Jessica Alaimo of PolitickerME.com, with Democrats in favor the bill and Republicans in opposition.

Maine's House is overwhelmingly Democratic, with a 90-59-2 split, and a Democratic governor.

PolitickerNJ reports that New Jersey's state assembly has scheduled a vote on national popular vote legislation for this Thursday. The bill enjoys support from the Assembly'sDemocratic leadership and that of popular ex-governor Richard Codey in the state Senate.

Governor Jon Corzine is yet to say whether he'd sign it or not.

If New Jersey were to turn the legislation law, their 15 electoral votes combined with our 10 would leave another 245 votes before the agreement goes into effect.

Plus, it would finally mean this "interstate compact" consists of more than one state!