By John Lindstrom
Publisher
Posted: January 18, 2013 4:35 PM

With new attention directed in the state and nation to efforts to drop the winner-take-all system most states use to award their electoral votes in the presidential contest, perhaps it’s time to take note of recent history on the issue.

With President Barack Obama about to be inaugurated on Monday, with Republicans nationally having lost two straight elections, and in Michigan with Republicans having lost six straight elections, Republicans nationally and in Michigan are beginning to press the issue more seriously.

Rep. Pete Lund (R-Shelby Twp.) is planning to introduce legislation to put the state on a system where the winner of each congressional district would receive an electoral vote with the statewide winner getting two electoral votes. Such an allocated elector system, supporters say, would be fairer than the winner-take-all system which has predominated in Michigan and most states for most of U.S. history.

Before these six recent elections in the wilderness for the GOP, Democrats similarly went through a long barren stretch in this state. Republicans won the presidential elections in 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984 and 1988.

So how was the issue of allocated presidential electors dealt with then? It wasn’t.

Even though Democrats (who during this period might be considered most interested in changing how electors were allocated) controlled the House during the entire period, controlled the Senate for eight years, and for a brief period controlled both chambers of the Legislature and the governor’s office, the issue never came up. At least, as legislation, the issue never came up.

A review of all elections bills introduced during that time frame shows not a one dealing with the Electoral College.

There were bills on making voter registration and voting by absentee ballot easier, opening or closing presidential primaries, school elections, village elections, recall elections, judicial election qualifications, campaign finance issues, and how long petition drives last, but nothing on presidential electors.

Former Rep. Colleen House Engler had a bill to ban exit polls at polling places. Former Governor John Engler, when he was in the Senate, had a bill requiring gubernatorial candidates who receive public funds to do debates. But nothing on the Electoral College.

Just making note, that is all.