The Maryland House of Delegates passed the National Popular Vote plan on April 2nd, by a vote of 85 to 54, joining the State Senate which passed the plan on March 28 by a vote of 29 to 17. According to a spokesman, Governor Martin O'Malley will sign the bill.

Developed by National Popular Vote, this plan would ensure an equally meaningful vote for Americans in all states, not just "battlegrounds" like Florida and Ohio, by having states use their constitutional powers to guarantee election of the national popular vote winner in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

[ Washington Post story - Bypassing the Electoral College]
[ Washington Post story - MD Senate Advances Bill]
[ Takoma Voice op-ed by MD Del. Sheila Hixson ]
[ Learn about National Popular Vote ]
[ FairVote Action ]

In March of 2006, FairVote and California Common Cause filed an amicus brief to defend the California Voting Rights Act of 2001, which would have allowed plaintiffs to challenge voting systems that dilute the voting strength of communities of color and to replace them with proportional or influence district voting systems. A state VRA showcases how states can protect voting rights even when Congress may weaken the federal Voting Rights Act. A judge threw the law out early in 2006.

Since then, the California Supreme Court upheld the statute in the Sanchez v. City of Modesto case. This historic move paves the way for introduction of this state voting rights act model in other states.

[ FairVote/Common Cause amicus brief (PDF) ]
[ More on the state VRA model ]