Letter: Under election plan, Nevadans’ vote will count

Saturday, Nov. 25, 2000 | 2:39 a.m.

Far from a "quick fix," my proposal to allocate Nevada's electoral votes to better reflect the state's popular vote is an opportunity to reinvigorate presidential politics and voter turnout by giving candidates an incentive to visit the state to listen to the concerns of voters here. Nevada would forfeit none of the Electoral College protections afforded less populated states.

Under the current winner-take-all system, candidates offer tailor-made messages to entice the voters of swing states with a significant number of electoral votes. Such states include Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, Florida, and others, but not Nevada. Courting voters in only select states, candidates not only neglect the interests and values of Nevadans but the issues of concern to our entire nation.

By allocating electoral votes in accordance with the state's popular vote, Nevada ensures that the vote of every resident counts, a fact that will not go unnoticed by candidates. In an especially close contest, a single vote could mean the difference between one more or one less electoral vote and ultimately, the race itself.

If Nevada were to join the states of Maine, Nebraska and others expected to abandon the winner-take-all system, the next presidential campaign may find candidates seeking electoral votes in every corner of the country, including Nevada, and paying attention to a greater variety of interests and issues. After all, voters are electing a president of the United States, not a president of the swing states.

DEAN HELLER Secretary of state