Maine and Nebraska
Maine and Nebraska both use an alternative method of distributing their
electoral votes, called the Congressional District Method.
Currently, these two states are the only two in the union that diverge
from the traditional winner-take-all method of electoral vote
allocation. Since electors are awarded to each state based on the number of House seats plus the number of Senate seats (always two) the district method allocates one electoral vote to each congressional district. The winner of each district is awarded one electoral vote, and the winner of the state-wide vote is then awarded the state’s remaining two electoral votes.
This method has been used in Maine since 1972 and Nebraska since 1996, though since both states have adopted this modification, the statewide winners have consistently swept all of the state’s districts as well. Consequently, neither state has ever split its electoral votes.
Although this method still fails to reach the full ideal of one-person one-vote, it has been proposed as a nationwide reform for the way in which electoral votes are distributed.
See our page on Reform Options for the Electoral College for more information.
Maine Senator John Martin, author of the state's congressional district plan in 1969, endorses the National Popular Vote plan.
Electoral College Table of Contents