Republican Effort to Change Nebraska’s Electoral System to Favor Trump Falls Short, Says Reuters

By Joseph Ax

A last-minute effort by Republicans to change Nebraska’s electoral vote system to a winner-take-all approach appears to be facing significant opposition. This change would potentially benefit Donald Trump’s chances of winning the presidency, but a critical Republican lawmaker has announced his disapproval of the proposal.

State Senator Mike McDonnell stated he would not support altering Nebraska’s current method, which divides its electoral votes by congressional district. Trump’s opponent, Kamala Harris, is slightly favored to secure one electoral vote from Nebraska’s 2nd congressional district, which encompasses Omaha.

To pass a bill modifying the system, a minimum of 33 votes would be needed from the 49-member legislature. The Republican Party holds precisely 33 seats, leaving no margin for dissent, especially with Democrats unified in their opposition.

"I will not change my long-held position and will oppose any attempted changes to our electoral college system before the 2024 election," McDonnell declared, emphasizing that the election date is only 43 days away.

In a race anticipated to be one of the closest in U.S. history, every electoral vote is crucial. Unlike many other countries, the president of the United States is not selected based on the national popular vote; instead, each state allocates its Electoral College votes according to its population to the winner of that state. Maine and Nebraska are the only states that split their electoral votes.

With seven key battleground states expected to influence the election outcome, the vote from Nebraska’s 2nd district is particularly significant. For instance, if Harris wins in the Rust Belt states of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania while Trump secures victories in the Sun Belt states of Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, and North Carolina—a scenario that polling suggests is feasible—Nebraska’s vote could ultimately determine whether the final tally is 270-268 in favor of Harris or results in a 269-269 tie.

In the event of a tie in the Electoral College, the decision would transfer to the U.S. House of Representatives, where each state delegation casts a single vote—an outcome that would likely favor Trump.

Trump’s supporters have been urging Nebraska Republicans to reconsider their electoral system. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, closely aligned with Trump, met with state lawmakers to promote the proposal.

"To my friends in Nebraska, that one electoral vote could be the difference between Harris being president or not," Graham remarked during a recent interview.

Senator McDonnell, originally elected as a Democrat, switched parties in April following censure from the state Democratic Party over his anti-abortion views. He suggested that lawmakers might consider placing the Electoral College question on the ballot in 2025, allowing Nebraska voters to decide the matter.

Meanwhile, Nebraska’s Governor, Jim Pillen, a Republican, has expressed his support for the proposed change and indicated he would be willing to call a special legislative session if it becomes evident that there are 33 votes in favor.