Last week, the New York State legislature once again passed up the chance to join the interstate National Popular Vote compact, marking the second year in the row the bill has died in committee. Although a majority of legislators support the bill's passage, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is the last remaining obstacle, as he is the only one with the power to initiate a vote. If Silver approves a vote in the future, New York will likely bolster the movement greatly by becoming the biggest state yet to sign on (California Governor Jerry Brown has indicated that he supports the bill as well, so it is also unlikely that New York would be the biggest state for long).
As stated on its website, the National Popular Vote bill is founded on the following principles:
Under the U.S. Constitution, the states have exclusive and plenary (complete) power to allocate their electoral votes, and may change their state laws concerning the awarding of their electoral votes at any time. Under the National Popular Vote bill, all of the state's electoral votes would be awarded to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The bill would take effect only when enacted, in identical form, by states possessing a majority of the electoral votes—that is, enough electoral votes to elect a President (270 of 538).
As a state with immeasurable political influence, New York has a duty to promote the universal enfranchisement and equality that the National Popular Vote movement would entail. Although it is unlikely that 270 Electoral votes' worth of states will sign the compact in time for the 2012 election, work must begin now in order to ensure that it happens by 2016. New York should urge their Assembly Speaker to allow a vote during next year's legislative session.
Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz of the Bronx recently summed up his thoughts in an interview with New York Magazine:
"I really have trouble understanding why somebody would object to the first-place finisher actually winning an election. Every election, from class president in fourth grade to assemblyman to Congress member, you name it, the one with the most votes wins. The only exception is president of the United States, the most important elected position on the planet."
I have elaborated more on my reasoning against the Electoral College here.