Is it time to reform the Electoral College?

An overwhelming majority (70 percent) of Americans think so, according to recent Gallup polls.

Three states — Maryland, New Jersey, and Illinois — have already passed legislation that supports a national popular vote over the Electoral College. Identical legislation has been introduced in 47 states and has already been passed by 13 legislative houses.

In Massachusetts, a bill supported by nearly 100 legislators, including state Rep. Matthew Patrick, D-Falmouth, and Cleon Turner, D-Dennis, also would change the way the nation elects the president. Last fall, the bill was reported favorably out of the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Election Laws and is expected to reach the House floor next month.

Early in our nation's history, there may have been a place for the Electoral College. Back then, of course, the populace was less educated and less informed about the candidates. Today, however, voters are bombarded with candidate information from diverse sources, and the lengthy campaign process weeds out the weaker candidates.

Nevertheless, our nation still relies on an antiquated system that effectively disenfranchises voters in more than two-thirds of the states who do not live in closely divided 'battleground' states.

"Presidential candidates have no reason to poll, visit, advertise, organize, or campaign in states that they cannot possibly win and spend almost three quarters of their advertising money and campaign visits in just five or six crucial states," said Pam Wilmot, executive director of Common Cause, a nonprofit government-watchdog group.

Voters in "spectator states," including Massachusetts, and many of the least populous states have no real incentive to go to the polls as their votes do not affect the outcome of the election.

For example, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Alaska regularly go Republican, and Rhode Island, Delaware, Hawaii, Vermont, Maine, and the District of Columbia regularly go Democratic. These 12 states together contain 11 million people and have 40 electoral votes. Ohio has 11 million people and "only" 20 electoral votes, but the 11 million people in Ohio have significantly more influence in presidential elections than the 11 million people in the 12 noncompetitive small states.

The national popular vote campaign would make all votes equal.

"It would bring candidates to Massachusetts and make them listen to our concerns," Wilmot said. "It would give voters in all states, regardless of party affiliation, an incentive to vote. It would rid the nation of falsely polarized red and blue election night maps."

Common Cause and other groups are urging legislatures across the country to join an interstate compact that would pledge their electors to the candidate who gets the most votes in the country.

"It is a constitutional and practical way to implement nationwide popular election of the president," she said.

For more information, go to www.NationalPopularVote.com.