Senators To Introduce Amendment Abolishing Electoral College

Amanda Terkel
Updated
Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) has said he introduce an amendment to abolish the Electoral College. (Photo: Bill Clark via Getty Images)
Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) has said he introduce an amendment to abolish the Electoral College. (Photo: Bill Clark via Getty Images)

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and a group of Democratic senators are set to introduce a constitutional amendment to abolish the Electoral College this week.

Schatz will be joined by Sens. Dick Durbin (Ill.), Dianne Feinstein (Calif.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.).

Abolishing the Electoral College has become a growing topic on the left. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has been the most vocal in calling for getting rid of it, although other Democratic presidential candidates ― including former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (Texas), Sen. Kamala Harris (Calif.) and Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, have all expressed some support for it.

Hillary Clinton won the most votes in the 2016 presidential election, but Donald Trump nevertheless became president ― thanks to the Electoral College.

Schatz’s amendment is almost guaranteed not to go anywhere at this point. A proposal to amend the constitution requires approval from two-thirds of the House and the Senate, or a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the state legislatures. It must be approved by three-fourths of the states.

This piece was updated to clarify the constitutional amendment process.

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