Illinois state rep. Tim Butler calls for proportional allocation of electoral votes in state

Illinois could join Maine and Nebraska in dividing up the electoral votes proportionally apart from the winner-takes-all state. The electoral college includes 20 electoral votes of Illinois. The national system uses these 20 votes to elect the president of the United States of America. Illinois state representative Tim Butler, R-Springfield, filed a bill in March 2019 related to the proportional allocation of the electoral votes in Illinois.

House Bill 3109 of Butler is about the allocation of electoral votes on the base of the congressional districts of Illinois. Each congressional district carries one vote while two votes would be given to the candidate who would win the popular vote of the state. Butler said about it, “This kind of balances the need for the electoral college, but also reflects the will of the people a little bit more.”

There are many people who want to get rid of the electoral college altogether. There are also many supporters of the electoral college. Butler said that this measure would be a good compromise with those who want to get rid of the electoral college.

Butler said that the electoral college had vital importance in terms of electing the president. However, this bill will create a balance between the will of people who support the electoral college and who oppose it. “I think it is a good way to balance the desire to completely get rid of the electoral college with the need for the electoral college,” added Butler.

If we implement Butler’s proposal in the current race for the presidency in Illinois, then Trump had gotten 5 or 6 votes while Biden had gotten 14 or 15 votes. There are 19 congressional districts of Illinois. According to Butler’s proposal, each district should get 1 electoral vote out of 20. Two electoral votes should be given to the candidate who wins the popular vote of the state. The outcome of the US presidential election of 2020 is yet to be decided.