WASHINGTON — The Democratic National Committee is organizing against proposed changes to the way Virginia allocates electoral college votes that would favor Republicans in the swing state.
Virginia went handily for President Barack Obama in both the 2008 and 2012 elections, though Republicans won a majority of the state's congressional districts. The proposal, advocated by some of the state's Republicans, would award electoral college votes by congressional districts instead of the overall popular votes — meaning that had the system been in place in 2012, Obama would have won a minority of electors despite winning a majority of the popular vote.
"After a decisive victory by President Obama in 2012, a State Senate committee will vote tomorrow on a bill that would rig the Electoral College vote appropriation system in favor of Republicans in 2016," the DNC warned in an email to Virginia Democrats.
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is opposed to the measure making the efforts on both sides essentially public relations stunts.
The proposal has earned the support of many national Republicans who are considering the change in a host of other swing states to increase their chances of retaking the White House in 2016.
