Gore: U.S. could switch to popular vote elections

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Al GoreAlbert (Al) Arnold GoreCNN coronavirus town hall to feature science author David Quammen, ‘Empire’ actress Taraji Henson Top Democratic pollster advised Biden campaign to pick Warren as VP Melania Trump to appear on CNN coronavirus town hall Thursday night MORE believes the U.S. will switch to popular vote elections within the next decade. 

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The former vice president, who won the popular vote during his 2000 presidential bid but lost the Electoral College tally to George W. Bush, has advocated for the change as a way to better democracy. 

“I do think we could have a chance to really increase participation in our democracy if we went to a popular vote,” Gore said Monday evening on MSNBC. 

Such a change could “bring our democracy back to life,” he said, alongside getting money out of politics and fixing redistricting.

The debate over the Electoral College has been reignited after Democratic nominee Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonWhite House accuses Biden of pushing ‘conspiracy theories’ with Trump election claim Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness Trayvon Martin’s mother Sybrina Fulton qualifies to run for county commissioner in Florida MORE lost the election to Donald TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE, despite winning the popular vote by more than 2.5 million votes. 

The latest numbers from the Associated Press showed Clinton with more than 65 million votes. 

A switch to the popular vote would require a constitutional amendment, which requires a two-thirds vote in the House and Senate and support from three-fourths of state legislatures. 

But, Gore said, an effort known as the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact is gaining steam and he thinks it could lead to the end of the Electoral College within the next decade. 

The compact is an agreement among several U.S. States to award all their respective electoral votes to whichever presidential candidate wins the overall popular vote. 

Currently, only 10 states and the District of Columbia have signed on. The compact would only take effect when states totaling 270 electoral votes have signed on, though it could face legal challenges. 

“Constitutional amendments are very tough, but there is this interstate compact movement that begin in California that is another way to accomplish the same result,” Gore said. 

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“It could take a little time but I would be surprised if we did not shift to popular vote in the next decade.”