Calling on Mr. Trump to accept majority

For the second time this century, the winner of the popular vote has “lost” the presidential election because the Electoral College is heavily weighted in favor of the states with the smallest populations. If Washington state’s people were represented as fully as those of Wyoming are, we would have 36 electoral votes, instead of 12 — and most states would have proportionally more votes than they do now.

It’s not Wyoming’s fault, it wasn’t even in the union when this system was set up — but neither is it even remotely fair.

Furthermore, the “winner-takes-all” approach, state by state, effectively silences all the non-winning votes.

Washington is one of 11 states that have agreed to give their electoral votes to whichever candidate actually wins the national popular vote. (See http://www.nationalpopularvote.com.) Similar measures have passed the legislatures in 12 other states.

In 2012, Donald Trump said, “The electoral college is a disaster for a democracy. ... A total sham and a travesty.”

On 60 Minutes on Nov. 13, President-elect Trump said: “I would rather see it, where you went with simple votes. You know, you get 100 million votes, and somebody else gets 90 million votes, and you win. There’s a reason for doing this. Because it brings all the states into play.”

Sounds like a great argument for electors in all states to cast their votes for Clinton, and if Mr. Trump meant what he said, he should call on all electors to do this.

This story was originally published December 9, 2016 at 5:07 PM with the headline "Calling on Mr. Trump to accept majority."