Democrats in Maine are facing a time crunch as Republicans in Nebraska push for changes that could jeopardize Kamala Harris’s presidential aspirations.
A Maine Democratic leader admitted there is likely not enough time to change the state’s Electoral College rules as a counterbalance to Nebraska Republicans' push to shift their state’s system to benefit Donald Trump, as the Bulwark reports.
Maine House Majority Leader Maureen Terry recently stated that efforts to change the state’s Electoral College system may not succeed before the upcoming election. Despite Democrats holding the majority in the legislature, Terry acknowledged that the time to pass any changes before November has “very possibly” run out.
In Maine, like Nebraska, the Electoral College allocation is based on both statewide and district-level results. Nebraska Republicans are working to move their system to a winner-takes-all format, a move widely seen as an advantage for Donald Trump’s chances in the upcoming election.
The Republican push in Nebraska to change its Electoral College rules is moving swiftly. A winner-take-all system would prevent Harris from potentially securing a key Electoral College vote from Omaha, a critical vote that could help her hit the 270-vote threshold. If Harris wins battleground states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, that one vote from Nebraska could make all the difference.
Should Harris fail to secure that vote, the result could be a 269-269 tie in the Electoral College. In such a case, the election would likely be decided by the House of Representatives, which could tilt the result in Trump’s favor.
Efforts to change Nebraska’s Electoral College system have been ongoing for months. However, they have struggled to gain traction in the state’s GOP-controlled legislature, despite increasing pressure from Trump’s allies.
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen is among those backing the shift to a winner-takes-all system. He has expressed his support and is even considering calling a special session to push the change through, underscoring the high stakes of the decision for both parties.
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham has also taken a personal interest, visiting Nebraska recently to persuade holdouts within the state’s Republican Party. His focus has been on State Sen. Mike McDonnell from Omaha, a key figure whose vote could determine the outcome of the effort. McDonnell, a former Democrat who switched to the Republican Party, had previously supported Nebraska’s current system of Electoral College allocation. However, he has shown signs of being open to reconsidering his stance, though he has expressed concerns about the proposed changes.
Maine Democrats had planned to react if Nebraska successfully moved forward with its plan, hoping to mirror the changes in their own state. However, according to Terry, they may have missed the opportunity. Maine’s constitution requires that any new law must take effect 90 days after it is signed, but with just 46 days remaining until Nov. 5 and 87 days until Electoral College votes are cast, time is not on their side.
To change Maine’s Electoral College system before the election, Democrats would need a two-thirds majority in the legislature to bypass the 90-day waiting period. Unfortunately for them, they do not have the numbers to fast-track such a change, leaving the current system in place for this election cycle. The delay has left Democrats uncertain about their next steps. Terry expressed frustration, stating, “So who knows where that lands us,” pointing to a lack of coordination with Republicans on the matter.
For Harris, the situation in Nebraska could be a critical factor in determining whether she secures the Electoral College votes necessary to win the presidency. The shift to a winner-takes-all format would likely eliminate her chance of winning the Omaha district, a loss that could lead to a deadlock and throw the election into Congress’s hands.
While Maine Democrats have tried to keep pace with the developments in Nebraska, their inability to move quickly enough could leave Harris’s path to victory more difficult than anticipated. The combination of stalled efforts in Maine and Nebraska’s rapid push for change has raised the stakes in what promises to be a closely contested election.
