PA Senate Majority Leader offers change to Electoral College proposal

(Harrisburg) -- A Republican leader in the state Legislature is renewing his effort to change how the state allocates its Electoral College votes for U.S. president.

Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi of Delaware County has introduced a bill that would apportion 18 of the 20 votes based on how candidates perform in the statewide popular vote. The other two votes would go to the overall winner.

The approach is different than a proposal made in the last legislative session, when Pileggi sponsored a proposal that would divide the votes according to who won the 18 congressional districts.

Democratic President Barack Obama won all of the state's 20 electoral votes last year. He defeated Republican Mitt Romney in the state by about 310,000 voters, out of more than 5.7 million cast.