A group of Senate Democrats has revived the effort to amend the Constitution and eliminate the Electoral College, advocating for a system where the presidential candidate with the most popular votes wins the election. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Peter Welch (D-VT) are spearheading this latest attempt.

Senator Durbin, a long-time proponent of this change, reintroduced the proposed amendment, highlighting his belief that the Electoral College disenfranchises voters and is a relic of the past. He expressed his support for empowering voters through a popular vote system. Senators Schatz and Welch echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of a direct link between the number of votes received and the election outcome.

Senator Schatz argued for a straightforward election process where the candidate with the most votes wins, regardless of where those votes originate. He criticized the Electoral College as outdated and undemocratic. Senator Welch added that the current system hinders representative elections due to the Electoral College's inherent flaws.

The proposal has drawn sharp criticism from Republicans. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) strongly condemned the idea, labeling it a detrimental proposal. Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ) accused the sponsoring Democrats of attempting to disregard the Constitution.

The debate over the Electoral College is reignited as the nation reflects on past elections, including the 2016 presidential race where Donald Trump secured the presidency through the Electoral College despite Hillary Clinton winning the popular vote. While the 2024 election saw Trump win both the Electoral College and the popular vote, the historical context of discrepancies between these two metrics continues to fuel discussions about electoral reform.