Currently, under the Electoral College system, the winner of California is awarded 55 electoral votes. California prides itself on being a diverse state, culturally and politically. However, many elections California goes Democratic because the population in the major cities dwarfs other voters. Two other states in the U.S give their votes proportionally, Nebraska and Maine.



Politicians know how to play the game and campaign exclusively to voters in the most coveted "swing states". This leaves California, a state of 38 million people, left out of the process. In a current Public Policy Institute of California survey, they found that 45% of voters identified as a Democrat, 31% Republican, and 20% Independent. This means that even though the state goes blue every four years, the majority of registered voters are not Democrat.



A proportional system would encourage more California voters to show up and have their voice heard. If California truly prides itself on being diverse, it would embrace diverse points of views and political leanings. A proportional system would also allow for the possible emergence of a third party candidate. With 20% of voters Independent, a third party candidate could make a substantial impression by winning some Electoral Votes in the Presidential Election.



California is a vast, diverse state, it is the time our politics reflect that. It is time to bring voters in from the cold and welcome all points of view by amending our state Constitution and making California's Electoral votes proportional. This is a win for all voters and a win for the democratic process.