Connecticut voted on Saturday to join states that want to pool their electoral college votes for the presidential candidate who wins the popular vote – the first state legislature to do so since President Donald Trump won the 2016 election.

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Trump lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by almost 3 million ballots but took the White House in the electoral college.

If Democratic governor Dannel Malloy signs the legislation into law, as expected, Connecticut will be the 12th jurisdiction – 11 states and the District of Columbia – to enter the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.

Clinton won every jurisdiction in the pact already: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and the District of Columbia. Connecticut, which Clinton also won, would be the first state to sign on since 2014, when New York joined.

“People are very excited,” said Barry Fadem, president of the California-based National Popular Vote organization. “It really helps.” After lobbying Connecticut lawmakers for 11 years, Fadem said he hoped other states will be encouraged to join.

The bill passed the state Senate 21-14, with three Republicans joining 18 Democrats. It passed the House of Representatives 73-71.

Under the compact, participating states require electoral college voters to cast ballots for the national popular vote winner. In theory the change would take effect once the compact involves states representing at least 270 electoral votes, the threshold to win the presidency. With the expected addition of Connecticut’s seven votes, the group now has 172.

When people vote for president, they really are choosing electors. The college is made up of 538, which corresponds to the number of seats held by states in the US Senate and House, plus three votes allotted to Washington DC.

Democratic state representative Matthew Lesser has been working on the issue since 2009 and believes Trump’s victory gave the issue “some renewed momentum”.

“My hope is, as other states take a look at it, that it won’t simply be an effort to re-litigate the 2016 election,” he said. Rather, he hopes states reflect on how two recent presidents, Trump and George W Bush in 2000, lost the popular vote but won the election.

“That’s a real problem,” Lesser said. “That undercuts their ability to get things done.”

Opponents argue that Connecticut’s influence in the presidential election will be hurt by the national popular vote. Republican state senator Michael McLachlan predicted that candidates would subsequently focus on large population centers, ignoring rural areas and small states like Connecticut.

“If you live in New York City, they may as well send limousines to get people to the polls,” said McLachlan, who also predicted “a legal train wreck” if the compact gets enough states to vote in unison for the popular vote winner.

But supporters contend the legislation will re-energize disappointed voters who believe their votes don’t count.

“Every person in the United States has the right to an equal voice in how our country is governed, and enacting a national popular vote ensures that right is upheld,” said Democratic state senator Mae Flexer.



