A Vancouver man on Thursday kicked off a national effort, viathe Internet, to end or modify the Electoral College system that isat the heart of the Florida presidential-recount controversy.
William "Toby" Dittrich, 54, went online Thursday withwww.nomoreelectoral college.org. The Web page offers explanations ofthe Electoral College system by which U.S. presidents are selectedand an electronic petition calling for changes in the system.
Copies of the signed petitions will come electronically toDittrich in Vancouver and to the two U.S. senators and one U.S.House member who represent the people submitting them, Dittrichsaid.
"I want a national debate," said Dittrich, a physics instructorat Portland Community College. "We hope to gather millions ofsignatures."
A bachelor who lives a couple of blocks east of Main Street inthe Shumway neighborhood, Dittrich said he is also an animal-rightsproponent and has a Web page for another cause: www.seatbelt.com.
Shirts and billboards
Speaking only hours after his page went live Thursday, Dittrichsaid he would not sell the names of petitioners to commercialinterests, but "We hope to sell T-shirts and bumper stickers and usethe money for billboards.
"This is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization," he said. "What Iwant is to promote opportunity for millions of other people to venttheir frustration by doing something positive."
Dittrich said he's a Democrat who supported Al Gore in thepresidential campaign, "but that has nothing to do with it. This isabout upholding democracy."
Under the all-or-nothing Electoral College system, whichevercandidate wins in Florida, regardless of the margin, will get all 25of that state's electoral votes, giving him a majority and thepresidency.
Petition says
The petition on Dittrich's web site declares the "ElectoralCollege is incapable of representing the will of the people withsufficient accuracy. " It calls for replacing the system "with anational procedure for election of the president by direct vote."
Dittrich said he personally doesn't favor eliminating theElectoral College system, but wants it modified. Perhaps, he said,instead of all of each state's electoral votes going to the popular-vote winner in that state, they should be apportioned according tothe winner in respective congressional districts.
Splitting the votes
That way, Washington's 11 electoral votes this year probablywould be apportioned seven for Gore and four for George W. Bush.But, under the existing system, Gore will get all 11.
Dittrich also said he knows how difficult it is to amend the U.S.Constitution, which would be required by at least some proposals totinker with the Electoral College. Constitutional amendments needtwo-thirds majorities in the U.S. House and Senate and approval fromthree-fourths of the 50 state legislatures.
"That's a hurdle to be crossed later," Dittrich said. "Peoplekeep saying this will never happen. But I answer that with thefamous line that a long journey begins with a single step. Oneindividual takes that first step. That's the power of the Internet."
Dittrich said he paid $19 for one year's rights to the Web pagename. He has a deal, he said, with the owners of two similar names:www.nomoreelectoralcollege .com and www.nomoreelectoral college.net.Internet users calling up those pages will get Dittrich's.
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