Letter: Iowa would benefit from popular vote

Paul Pates' argument in his Dec. 16 guest column 'Electoral College ensures Iowans' voices are heard” that the electoral college gives small states like Iowa a voice in presidential politics which they wouldn't have under direct popular vote is false.

The long version of my Dec. 11 guest column 'Myths and facts about the Electoral College” presents the evidence that this claim is false, taken directly from this year's campaign. Kansas and Mississippi have the same number of electoral votes as Iowa and none of the four major candidates held a single campaign event in either state because they were viewed as 'safe” states. Iowa was visited by presidential candidates this year only because it was viewed as a 'swing” state. If it ceases to be viewed as an evenly divided 'swing” state, it will be ignored, just as Kansas and Mississippi were. Small states would actually benefit from direct popular vote because all of their votes would count, and candidates would have a reason to visit them in order to get any votes they could.

Richard Hileman

Mount Vernon