Debate arose over the significance of "second place" when an Alabama House committee approved a bill that would scrap the "winner take all" system of dividing Alabama's nine electors in presidential elections Wednesday.
The House Constitution and Elections Committee voted 7-5 in favor of the bill.
The bill faces another vote by the full state house. Nebraska and Maine are the only states that currently do not give all electoral votes to the winning candidate. Opponents of the bill argue that scrapping the "winner takes all" system would be effective only if it were used by all 50 states.
Representative Jay Love (R-Montgomery) said he opposes the bill because it does not make sense to change something every other state does.
"Everyone should be playing under the same set of rules," Love said.
Love said, while there are two states that do not have the "winner take all" system, their systems are different from what is being proposed in this bill.
"Nebraska and Maine both have more districtoriented systems than what this would be for Alabama," Love said.
Democrats on the elections committee supported the bill, saying that even if a voter's candidate lost the election, they would still have had a part in the process.
Representative Mary Moore (D-Birmingham) said she strongly agrees that the bill gives a voice to the voter, regardless of the outcome of the election.
"So many people wonder why they should vote when they feel their vote does not count," Moore said.
Moore said voters often admit to her they feel disenfranchised because of the way the electoral votes are distributed, Moore said.
"Let them have the majority of electoral votes for Alabama, but divided proportionately," Moore said.
Moore said she plans to speak in support of the bill as much as she can so that the voters can be heard.
Representative Patricia Todd (D-Birmingham) said she also supports the bill because it will impact elections like it could have in the past.
Todd said if the electoral votes would have been divided in 2004's presidential election, Democratic candidate John Kerry would have won the national election.
"Alabama is not known for leading the way in any positive issue like this, so hopefully one day that will change," Todd said.
Todd said she thinks the bill is not likely to pass.
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