Governor Offers Statement on Status of Special Session for Winner Take All
The 2024 special legislative session ended without addressing ‘Winner Take All,’ a proposed change to the way Nebraska allocates electoral votes, which Governor Jim Pillen supports.
In most states, voters choose electors by casting a vote for the presidential candidate of their choice. The slate winning the most popular votes is the winner.
Only two states, Nebraska and Maine, allocate two electoral votes to the state popular vote winner, and then one electoral vote to the popular vote winner in each congressional district. This leaves open the possibility that Nebraska and Maine could allocate electoral votes to more than one candidate.
On Friday, September 13, Governor Pillen issued a statement about changing that system, “As Governor of Nebraska, I will never waver in my commitment to do what is right for our state. As I have consistently made clear, I strongly support statewide unity and joining 48 other states by awarding all five of our electoral college votes to the presidential candidate who wins the majority of Nebraskans’ votes. As I have also made clear, I am willing to convene the Legislature for a special session to fix this 30-year-old problem before the 2024 election. However, I must receive clear and public indication that 33 senators are willing to vote in such a session to restore ‘Winner-Take-All.’ I have been consistent and clear on this issue, and likewise expect members of the legislature to do the same so that we as leaders are transparent and accountable to Nebraskans.”
Pillen said, “Consistent with those principles, I and other conservatives have worked diligently to assess legislative support for WTA in a pre-election special session. At this time, I have not yet received the concrete and public indication that 33 senators would vote for WTA. If that changes, I will enthusiastically call a special session.”
