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Disappearing Democrat nearly kills popular-vote bill

HARTFORD A disappearing Democrat and an astute parliamentary move by Sen. Michael A. McLachlan on Friday nearly sunk legislation that would allow Connecticut to join an interstate compact of states that want to bypass the controversial Electoral College with a National Popular Vote.

Minutes before the early afternoon meeting of the Government Administration & Elections Committee screeched to a halt, McLachlan, R-Danbury, co-chairman of the committee, succeeded in killing a Senate version of the bill in a tie vote among the four senators on the 17-member committee.

But as Democrats seemed on track to pass the House version of the bill in a partisan 9-8 vote, freshman Rep. Michael Winkler, D-Vernon left the Legislative Office Building meeting room. There were five legislative committees meeting at the time, requiring lawmakers to be in multiple places at the same time.

The roll call vote showed an 8-8 tie.

McLachlan asked for a tally, which would have closed the vote. Around that time, Sen. Mae Flexer, D-Killingly, co-chairman of the committee who was running meeting, announced the vote would remain open for several more hours. Amid a muffled, curt exchange with McLachlan, she then recessed the meeting as lawyers for GOP and Democratic lawmakers huddled on each side of the room.

Ten minutes later, Winkler ambled back into the meeting, unaware that his brief absence had almost killed the legislation.

Madame Chairman, your missing member is here, McLachlan said. Take the vote. The panel had another roll call, with the expected 9-8 partisan result. The legislation, which has failed in recent years, heads to the House of Representatives.

During the substance of the debate, Democrats said that the movement for a National Popular Vote would allow small states to be better represented at a time when presidential candidates ignore states such as Connecticut, in favor of swing states including Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida.

I dont see how this provides better representation for the people of our state, said Rep. Laura Devlin, R-Fairfield, ranking member of the committee.

kdixon@ctpost.com; Twitter: @KenDixonCT

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Disappearing Democrat nearly kills popular-vote bill - Connecticut ... - CT Post