Maine's Senate has approved a plan to allocate the state's four electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the popular vote, instead of the candidate who wins the Electoral College.In the 2016 election, Maine split its electoral votes. Three went to Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and one went to now-President Donald Trump. Maine is just one of two states to split its electoral votes, and 2016 marked the first time the split happened.Maine's Senate voted 19-16 Tuesday to join a pact of 14 other states that would allocate their electoral votes based on the candidate who wins the popular vote.The proposal faces further votes in order to become law.President Trump won the Electoral College with 304 electoral votes, but lost the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes.The pact endorsed Wednesday would only kick in if the states signed on to it achieve more than 270 electoral votes -- the number needed to win the White House.California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Washington, D.C, have signed on to the pact.The 14 states in the pact, and Washington, D.C., had electoral votes that went to Clinton in the 2016 election.Former President George W. Bush also lost the primary vote, but won the Electoral College in 2000.Several other states are considering the proposal during their legislative sessions.

Maine's Senate has approved a plan to allocate the state's four electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the popular vote, instead of the candidate who wins the Electoral College.


In the 2016 election, Maine split its electoral votes. Three went to Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and one went to now-President Donald Trump. Maine is just one of two states to split its electoral votes, and 2016 marked the first time the split happened.

Maine's Senate voted 19-16 Tuesday to join a pact of 14 other states that would allocate their electoral votes based on the candidate who wins the popular vote.

The proposal faces further votes in order to become law.

President Trump won the Electoral College with 304 electoral votes, but lost the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes.

The pact endorsed Wednesday would only kick in if the states signed on to it achieve more than 270 electoral votes -- the number needed to win the White House.

California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Washington, D.C, have signed on to the pact.

The 14 states in the pact, and Washington, D.C., had electoral votes that went to Clinton in the 2016 election.

Former President George W. Bush also lost the primary vote, but won the Electoral College in 2000.



Several other states are considering the proposal during their legislative sessions.