Gov. Brown endorses popular vote bill for Calif.

[August 09, 2011]  SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a bill that would award all of California's 55 Electoral College votes to the winner of the national popular vote in presidential elections.

The movement by a group called National Popular Vote aims to prevent a repeat of 2000, when Democrat Al Gore won the popular vote but Republican George W. Bush won the electoral vote. The proposed change would ensure the winner of the national popular vote becomes president.

With Brown's signature Monday, California became the eighth state to sign on, giving the effort 132 of the 270 electoral votes it needs to take effect.

California and most other states currently have winner-take-all systems that give all the electoral votes to the candidate who wins the most votes in that state.

[Associated Press; By JULIET WILLIAMS]

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