Bill reflects popular idea

M.W. Monroe (Letters, Sept. 5) interprets Senate Bill 5599 as “every voter … in Washington state has effectively lost their … right to vote for president of the United States.” And it’s all Chris Marr’s fault, because he was one of several sponsors.

First, on page 3, Art. IV, of the bill, it states that this bill will go into effect only at such time as “states cumulatively possessing a majority of the electoral votes” have passed this same agreement in their states and these agreements have been enacted. At the time this bill was passed in Washington (which was April 28, 2009), only Hawaii, Maryland, Illinois and New Jersey had enacted this agreement. This is far from a majority, so it is not an imminent happening.

But beyond that, we have never voted for president. We vote for a slate of electors, who, in turn, cast their ballots in the Electoral College.

Many polls have shown that people would prefer to abolish that system and go to a popular ballot. Obviously, M.W. Monroe does not agree. But he would rather exaggerate the whole thing and blame it on Chris Marr. A cheap shot, at best.

Lowell Lehman

Spokane